WHERE TO GO FOR GOOD ADVICE -- Devotional for November 15, from "Good Seeds"

In the abundance of counselors there is deliverance. (Proverbs 11:14). Immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood. (Galatians 1:16).

I hope it is not a diabolical delight that I am indulging when I deliberately look for two verses that seem to contradict one another and place them side by side. I don’t do it to confuse people or cause them to doubt the reliability of the Scriptures, but rather to help myself and others maintain a “balance of truth.” This is a phrase I often heard my seminary professors use as they were preparing us to go out and preach and shepherd the flock of God. They knew we would come face to face with sincere Christians who had gone off the deep end on a particular doctrine. Carrying it to its supposed logical conclusions could at the worst extreme lead them into heresy, but at the least cause them to misunderstand the mind of God, and possibly influence others toward that same misunderstanding. And so, what about the issue raised by these two verses? When seeking God’s will and direction for our lives should we listen to the advice of friends, or shun human counsel in favor of the voice of God? Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived, recommended the former – and then get a second opinion, and even a third, if need be, for it is in “a multitude of counselors” that we find safety. But from the experience of Paul, the greatest Christian who ever lived, we might feel more inclined to go to our closet – or to some wilderness place – to get alone with God, and then listen for His “still, small voice” (I Kings 19:12) as “His Spirit bears witness with our spirit” (Romans 8:16). The first is surely far more practical, but the second seems far more spiritual. So, which is it? Well, I don’t have an answer on this one – just more questions! Regarding the counsel of others, it makes a huge difference who they are, and what their motives might be in the advice they give. This is where a true friend comes in, who will back you up when you’re right, but back you down when you’re wrong. “As iron sharpens iron,” so a true friend will sharpen you with his words, no matter how abrasive and painful they may be (see Proverbs 27:17). Do you know your friend has nothing in mind but your gain? Then he may be safe to listen to. And he will want you to hear God. But hearing God can be a problem, too. How do you know it’s God voice, and not just your not quite sanctified imagination? The Mormons claim a “burning in the bosom” as their final argument for the genuineness of their teachings. Will you resort to such subjective proof as that? Bottom line: A spiritual man will seek the mind of God, but a godly man will not ignore a message from God, even if it comes through the mouth of a friend.