Do You Hearken to Counsel?: Gospel Today Devotional - 15th September, 2021

LESSONS FROM PROVERBS (2)

There are some persons that will never listen to that which others tell them, isn't it? Aren't there people who feel that all they do is right and have no need of further instruction or advice? For such persons, it will be an issue trying to even suggest to them that what they have done, are doing and would do is wrong, isn't it? The thing is that often times, they end up regretting what decisions they made or what steps they took, isn't it? If they had hearkened while they were counseled, they may not have likely encountered such problems.

It pays to take corrections, listen to advice and suggestions from others. The truth is that no one knows it all and by the counsel of one who sees and understands certain things better than you do, you would experience ease in doing that which you intend to do and if it will be something not worth doing, you will not even waste your time. Recently, we learnt that where there are counselors, there's safety, right? The reason people make wrong decisions, and take wrong steps sometimes could be as a result of the fact that they despise counsels.

Today's lesson seeks to explain to us the wisdom behind heeding to counsels. No one should ever think that he is above counsels. One of the reasons we have fathers, friends, mentors, etc is so that by their counsel, we can always do that which is right but often times we think we know better. This is the issue. Let's see the passage of scripture below,

"The way of a fool is right in his own eyes: but he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise" (Proverbs 12:15).

There are two persons in this text and both of them respond to counsel differently. Also, the scripture calls them different names. Shall we continue? The first person in this category is referred to as a fool, why? It's simply because he thinks he has no need for counsel and that all he does is right. The scripture calls him a fool and truly, it is a foolish thing to think that counsel can be jettisoned because one thinks and believes all by himself that it is not needed. Don't you live this way? As believers, were there not times we were advised but ignored because we felt it wasn't needed? Didn't we pay dearly for it? Only one who is not wise jettisons counsel.

This is to point to our attention here that the counsel we are referring to is godly counsel. It is not expected that as a believer you should hearken to that which is not consistent with the word of God. Doing this, that is ignoring ungodly counsels doesn't make you a fool. In fact, it is wisdom to do such. The foolishness that is being talked about is you knowing that a thing is true, and consistent with the word of God yet as a result of pride or some other factor, you decide to do otherwise. That will no longer be termed wisdom but foolishness. I want to believe we have been able to establish a balance between what the aim of the lesson is and what it is not, right? Praise God.

Let's now look at the second person whom the scripture refers to as wise and why. The scripture calls this second person wise because he listens (hearkens) to counsel. He takes note of good counsel, subject his thoughts and ideas to it, think through it and does not think in his heart that the counsels are not important. They are wise and not foolish, and by such counsels they weigh their choices and decisions. Do you hearken to counsels or do you jettison it? Are you wise or foolish? The Lord cause his word to dwell richly in our hearts. Amen.

Thought for the day: The wise hearkens to counsel but the fool doesn't. Who are you?

Gospel Today is a comforting, exhorting, edifying and inspiring devotional published by the Delightsome Land Christian Ministry. For questions, enquiries/testimonies, please call/WhatsApp: 08174915361, 08161655758 or Email: [email protected].