Over the past week I’ve received frantic phone calls from several students that went something like this; “My friend has been going through a really difficult time lately and I don’t know what to say.” Maybe you’ve made a similar phone call because someone reached out to you for advice in a trying time and you realized that finding the right words to say can be difficult. Or perhaps you were the person that needed the advice.
1. Digging In (God, Show Me!)
The Bible actually has a lot to say about giving good (and bad) advice. The passages below represent a cross section of verses on this subject. Take a moment to read over the verses about wisdom and good counsel and write down (on paper or in an e-doc) anything you learn about good advice/advisors and bad advice/advisors.
Psalm 1:1-3 Proverbs 3:5-8 James 3:13-18
2. Taking It Inward (God, Teach Me!)
Internalize the info you just discovered by processing the questions below. Again, write your thoughts down or type them into an e-doc.
What do you need to do to be a source for good wisdom?
What do you need to avoid so that you’re not a source for bad wisdom?
What character or personality traits do you need to exhibit to gain godly wisdom?
It’s clear that the best advisors are people who walk closely with God and are rooted in His word. So, if we want to give good advice to those we care about, then our relationship with Christ is crucial. And giving good advice matters!
3. Putting Into Practice (God, Change Me!)
Take a minute to take some action:
What’s one thing you can do today to be a source of wisdom friends can count on?
What’s a bad source of wisdom you know you need to stop listening to?
Now, if you feel a little overwhelmed at having the right words to say at a moment’s notice, let’s take some pressure off. While godly advice never goes out of style, nobody expects you to always have the right words to say. Actually sometimes they just need to know that you are willing to walk through the issue or challenge with them.
In Job 2 we see a powerful scene between Job, who has just lost everything, and his friends. They weep for him and then sit with him in silence for seven days. That’s deep friendship: Friends who simply sit and mourn with you in a time of loss and suffering. Perhaps our first priority should be to start with becoming that type of friend. Doing so might give us the chance then to share some godly wisdom when the time is appropriate.
Download PDF version of this devo here.