How well do you
listen to the advice you have sought? I was considering this the other day as I
issued my periodic, seasonal complaint about my weight. This grumbling always
seems to arise about this time when the beach, pool, lake, water park, and lawn
sprinkler season appears on the horizon. On a late spring morning an epiphany
emerged as I stood in front of a mirror. I have put on a “little” winter weight.
Either that or someone has sneaked into my bathroom and installed one of those
“fun-house mirrors” that is distorting my “manly” physique. I groan, “I have
done-lap-disease again! My midsection done lap over my belt.”
I try to rationalize what I see. There
is a perfectly reasonable explanation for the expansion of the belt buckle.
Humans unlike bears do not hibernate all winter; they eat all winter. Meanwhile
they hunker down in their houses only emerging occasionally to fill their
pantry larder. Such a combination is good for a seven to ten pound weight gain
which is often exacerbated by a slower metabolism as we age. As spring comes
and the layers of clothing begin to diminish like the melting snows of winter, our
extra pounds are exposed. The bulky sweaters and clothing that have aided us in
camouflaging winter’s weight gain can no longer endure daily temperature
increases. Spring comes and I stand exposed before an unforgiving mirror – a
reincarnation of the Pillsbury Dough Boy.
So I do what every over-weight
American does; I go to the internet to see if there is a new miracle process to
melt away the winter weight gain so that we can again see our toes. I discover
that even after a whole year there is still no miracle solution. Same old advice
they gave me last year. These uncreative purveyors of weight loss are still
advising winter-weight-gainers to eat healthy and exercise more. Such advice
translates to me, “Eat the tasteless green stuff and engage in gladiator
training.” Another trip past the mirror motivates me consider the advice and to
visit the produce aisle of the local grocery – surprisingly just on the other
side of the bakery department – and to also begin hunting for my exercise gear.
Once advice is given what do we do with
it? Perhaps we treat it the way I have been dealing with winter-weight gain
over the years. We hear the advice. We understand it. We may even reason it
would be good to respond to the advice we were given. However, more often than not
we ignore it. We assume that by ignoring the advice that somehow it will be
altered to align itself with our assumptions or aspirations. I am still looking
for the shed-winter-weight-by-eating-donuts-diet. You would think someone would
have discovered that one by now! Maybe next spring!
Good advice is often ignored and negative
consequences endured. This is demonstrated in many contexts of life. Consider
the account of King Jehoshaphat of Judah. He was pleasing the Lord and he was
being blessed (2 Chronicles 17:4-6). However, there came a time when he made a
foolish decision. He chose to align himself with an evil king named Ahab. That
king invited him to join him in a military campaign, which Jehoshaphat wasn’t
too sure about. He sought advice from God by appealing to a prophet of Jehovah,
Micaiah (18:13). The prophet clearly advises both kings that the military
campaign will be a disaster. What does Jehoshaphat do with the advice? He
summarily dismissed it. He assumed that the majority opinion of Ahab’s advisers, even though not prophets of Jehovah, was better advice. He ignored
the advice God gave and the consequences were devastating. Not only was there a
great military defeat as God had indicated, but Jehoshaphat faced the wrath of
the Lord rather than His blessing (19:2).
Too often God gives us His advice
and we are just like Jehoshaphat – we ignore Him. In the wisdom and mercy of
God He has given us a whole book of advice called the Bible. It is profitable
not only for doctrine, but also for rebuking, correcting, and training in
righteousness so we can live a life pleasing to God and therefore pleasing to
us (2 Timothy 3:16-17). Yet it seems we are more willing to listen to the
advice derived from cultural influences like polls, majority opinions,
influential personalities, or social media. Doesn’t it seem more reasonable to
listen to the Creator than to heed the hallow wisdom from various elements of
His creation? Elevating the advice of false advisers does not make their advice
true. All it does is place us in a disastrous position of ignoring that which
is true and constructive for that which is distorted and destructive.
Advice is only valuable when it is
both heard and heeded. It is only profitable when it is coming from a reliable
source that knows the solution to our dilemma and truthfully reveals it. Don’t
come to me to learn about losing winter-weight! 
