Who Do You Listen To?

Proverbs 12:15

The way of a fool is right in his own eyes,

but he who heeds counsel is wise.

There are a lot of places out there where we can seek advice, and a lot of people we can find who will be more than willing to offer their nickel's worth. Open a newspaper and you've got all kinds of advice right there with the daily funnies...except your horoscope is fantastical fiction and whoever replaced Dead Abby isn't nearly as good at her job. Call you Mom, she's full of it. And most of your friends are too.

But who are you really going to heed when you need a little counsel?

There are a few people in your life who have a wealth of wisdom stored up in their noggin, and they have been placed there by God to dole it out on occasion. When they do, pay attention. There are years of experience at your disposal, life educations beyond compare that can be applied to any given situation. Listen up.

In addition, God speaks to us through His word, if we'll read it. He speaks to us through His Spirit, if we'll hear it. He speaks to us through preaching and teaching, if we'll receive it. And sometimes He even speaks to us through other people who are sensitve to what the Spirit is saying. A wise man will seek counsel and listen to it, then weigh it against the Word and the Spirit and do what he beleives God is leading Him to do. When it comes right down to it, God must be the ultimate voice that we hear.

But a fool won't listen to wise counsel. In fact, a fool will only listen to their own heart, which usually only tells them exactly what they want to hear. It doesn't matter what Mom or Dad say, or what Pastor says, or what this Spiritual person or that one says. It doesn't even matter to the fool what the Word of God says. When they've got their mind made up, don't confuse them with facts, and certainly don't bring the Bible into it. This is the real world, after all! They have to follow their own heart, not some old book, or some old people who don't really know what's going on.

Who has God placed in your life to give you counsel? Who do you listen to? The one who listens to godly cousnel is wise.