Incline your ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply your heart to my knowledge, for it will be pleasant if you keep them within you, if all of them are ready on your lips. (Proverbs 22:17-18 ESV)
In today’s world, we hear many voices.—some are worth listening to, and others are decidedly not. There are some people that we should listen to at particular times (i.e. a doctor or expert in a particular field) when we need specific input. These people may be smart and well-informed, but are not always wise. We must be aware of when they step beyond their expertise and into opinion. In such cases, we don’t necessarily need to ignore them, but we must evaluate what is said.
On the other hand, there are people that we should always listen to—those who are truly wise. These kind of people can be hard to find, but it’s worth the effort. Here are some traits I’ve found in some of the wisest people I know:
· They are often deep thinkers, and are slow to give their opinion
· They ask good questions before giving input
· You leave a conversation with them thinking differently than you did at the beginning of the conversation
· They point you back to God’s character and Word
· They are willing to say what you may not want to hear, but they do it with great gentleness (beware of someone who always tells you what you want to hear)
· They are always humble
Who do you have in your life who is that voice of reason and wisdom when you need it? Along with the verses above, please remember the words of Proverbs 13:20, “Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm.” (ESV) So, my encouragement for you today is to walk with wise people and listen to what they say. Your life will be richer for it.
In His grip,
Pastor Decker
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