Advice: Opinions about what we should do.

How is it that I have all the answers for everyone else’s problems but not for mine? Advice is a combination of knowledge experience and common sense from which we formulate an opinion and then give that opinion to someone. Those we love give us advice because they care. That does not make the advice good. The Bible is full of counselors and advisors that have both good and bad advice. The good advice is there for us to follow and the bad advice is there so we will recognize it and heed it.

1. My advisor must be credible. Psalm 1:1-6
a. Is my advisor an honest person? Do we have the same values and belief?
b. Does the advice come from someone who has experience in the area in which he or she is advising?
c. Do they have a track record of discipline or lack of discipline in their life?
i. Knowledge
ii. Experience
iii. Common sense
d. Are they able to manage their personal and spiritual life?
e. Does he follow the advice he is providing?
f. If we are giving the advice we must be willing to refer someone to a more experienced and knowledgeable person.

2. The advice must be based on a predictable standard, and follow good principles. Proverbs 20:17,18-20, 22
a. To make a practical application of the standard, a study of the possible outcomes or consequences is vital.
b. The standard or principle that underlies the advice has an inherent direction toward a positive or negative outcome. Determining the direction will reveal the principle.
i. Advice that calls for deceit, lies, destroying another person’s life etc carries with it the consequences that you face for those tactics.
ii. Advice that calls for sin in any way brings with it the consequences for sin.
c. One of the best ways to detect bad advice is when it violates a known principle or standard. I Kings 13:9-24

3. It must be useable. Acts 5:33 – 5:39
a. They were taking counsel on how to kill the men that God had appointed to preach boldly at this hour. Gamaliel recognized that advice that puts you fighting against God is not useable. Isaiah 54:17
b. Advice must be something that I can do and that is reasonable to the situation. If it is not in my control to do, it may be bad advice.
c. The useability of the advice is usually a good indicator of its quality.
d. Useable advice will have a certain sense of rightness and relief of the pressure.

Advice and Advisors (counselors) in the Bible

I Kings 12:1-17 Jerobaom, the new king, picks his advisors:
1. Jeroboam is made king and seeks advice from two different groups.
2. The advice is completely opposite.
3. How did he make his selection?
a. Last advice
b. Longest advice
c. Most popular advice (quantity of advisors)
4. His advisors were those he grew up with.
5. It is wise to seek good advice: Proverbs 13:10
6. There is safety in getting a lot of good counsel: Proverbs 11:14
7. We should ask God for His counsel and advice on everything. Joshua 9:14, Judges 18:5

Ahithophel hangs himself when his advice is not taken. II Samuel 16:23-17:23
1. If we advise someone successfully, we should not let that go to our head. One piece of good advice does not an advisor make.
2. Ahithophel came up with a plan to defeat David and to hand the kingdom to Absalom.
3. Absalom calls another to get a second opinion. Even though he liked Ahithophel’s plan he wanted to hear another advisor before moving ahead.
4. Ahithophel could not deal with the fact that his advice was not followed. He was made proud by the accolades of the people and could not deal with the humiliation.
5. Our reaction to those that do not follow our advice must be laced with humility. Not with I told you so. We also must realize that sometimes they are better off for not following the advice of know-it-alls like us.

Be careful from whom you take advice. Your best advisors in one area may be worthless in another. Be even more careful about the advice you give.