What other biblical examples show the value of listening to godly advice? The backdrop: Abigail’s timely counsel (1 Samuel 25:33) “Blessed be your discernment, and blessed be you, who have kept me this day from bloodshed and from avenging myself with my own hands!” David’s gratitude sets the tone: listening to godly counsel spares him from sin and its fallout. Scripture repeats this lesson through many portraits. Snapshots of lives changed by wise advice • Moses and Jethro — Exodus 18:17-24 – Jethro warns, “What you are doing is not good… you will surely wear yourself out.” – Moses “listened to his father-in-law and did everything he said,” delegating leadership and strengthening the nation. • Joshua and Caleb’s minority report — Numbers 14:6-9 – While ten spies spread fear, Joshua and Caleb urge trust in God. Israel ignores them and wanders forty years—proof that disregarding godly advice has a price. • King Jehoshaphat and Jahaziel — 2 Chronicles 20:14-22 – A Levite declares, “The battle is not yours, but God’s.” Jehoshaphat believes, appoints singers to lead the army, and watches the Lord rout the enemy without a sword lifted. • Naaman and his servants — 2 Kings 5:13-14 – Prideful Naaman rages at Elisha’s simple remedy. His servants reason, “Father, if the prophet had told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it?” He listens, dips in the Jordan, and is healed. • King Josiah and Hilkiah/Huldah — 2 Kings 22:11-20 – Scroll of the Law discovered; Josiah tears his clothes. Huldah’s prophetic words spark sweeping reforms and renewed covenant worship. • A cautionary counter-example: Rehoboam — 1 Kings 12:8-16 – Rejects elders’ counsel, follows hot-headed peers, and splits the kingdom. Ignoring wisdom can be as decisive as heeding it. • The king of Nineveh and Jonah — Jonah 3:5-10 – “The people of Nineveh believed God… from the greatest to the least.” Their repentance averts judgment, underscoring the life-and-death stakes of listening. • Joseph and angelic direction — Matthew 1:20-24; 2:13-15 – Receptive obedience (“he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him”) shelters Mary, Jesus, and God’s redemptive plan. • Apollos and Priscilla & Aquila — Acts 18:24-26 – A gifted preacher “knew only the baptism of John.” A godly couple “explained the way of God to him more accurately,” multiplying his effectiveness. • Paul and Ananias — Acts 9:17-19 – A blind persecutor receives sight, the Spirit, and baptism because a reluctant disciple listens to the Lord and speaks truth to Saul. Threads that tie these stories together • God often delivers His guidance through people—family members, friends, prophets, even servants. • Humility is the doorway; pride slams it shut (James 4:6). • Wise counsel aligns with God’s revealed Word; it never contradicts Scripture (Isaiah 8:20). • Obedience brings blessing, protection, and spiritual growth; refusal multiplies sorrow (Proverbs 13:13). Takeaways for everyday life • Cultivate approachable hearts—ready to receive counsel before crisis hits. • Measure advice against Scripture; the Bereans “examined the Scriptures daily” (Acts 17:11). • Surround yourself with proven voices of faith (Proverbs 15:22). • Act promptly when counsel is confirmed; delayed obedience easily becomes disobedience. Listening to godly advice isn’t optional background noise; it is a divine safeguard, a channel of blessing, and a mark of true wisdom. |
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