Rejecting Counsel
I have seen instances when a person hires an attorney for counsel on a legal matter and then ignore the advice given them by their own attorney. I have also see people seek counsel from a counselor regarding a deeply personal matter only to ignore the advice given. I sometimes think that the reason people seek advice is to hopefully hear what they wanted to hear. If the counsel or advice is different than what they wanted, they do what they wanted to anyway.
This happened in the case of Solomon’s son Rehoboam. He was Solomon’s successor as king. The people of Israel approached him and asked him to ease up on the tax, labor and military burden that his father Solomon had placed upon the people. Rehoboam seeks the counsel of older men. He didn’t really like that advice so he sought the advice of the young men he grew up with. They told him what he wanted to hear. Check this out…
12 Three days later Jeroboam and all the people returned to Rehoboam, as the king had said, “Come back to me in three days.” 13 The king answered the people harshly. Rejecting the advice given him by the elders, 14 he followed the advice of the young men and said, “My father made your yoke heavy; I will make it even heavier. My father scourged you with whips; I will scourge you with scorpions.” (Kings 12:12-14 NIV)
This response set off a rebellion. The nation divided against him. Then Jereboam, son of Nebat set himself up as king over Israel and Rehoboam was the king over Judah. This was a sad day in the history of Israel because they both rejected the counsel of God.
I believe it’s wise to hear all sides of the issue before making a decision. I also believe it’s wise to seek counsel on all major decisions. I love what Lou Holtz said at a commencement address: “I’ve been 21 years old before, but you haven’t been 78!” I think there is much wisdom in the counsel of people who are older and more experienced than me. I also believe that there is wise counsel in the Word of God. I see the insight and wisdom of God throughout His Word as I journey through it. I need His Counsel daily and I’m really thankful for His Counselor, The Holy Spirit to speak into my life every day.
Pressing On!
Dwayne