“Those who forsake instruction praise the wicked, but those who heed it resist them.”
You might have heard the carpenter’s instruction used in all manner of life: “Measure twice and cut once.” My early life was “cut twice and measure when only absolutely necessary.” I mean who has time for all that measuring, right? Another piece of counsel I should have taken to heart was, “Don’t confuse motion with progress.” I received great instruction from brilliant and godly people, both for ministry and for life. I have put a lot of it into practice for many years, but only after some dumb failures for not listening sooner. As I was ignoring wise counsel, I never actually embraced the wicked options as my own. The fact is that by not following God’s voice through others and Scripture, I was walking in my own wisdom—or, actually, my lack thereof. That was embracing wickedness. The opposite of God. I learned a lot of lessons the hard way. I always valued wise people with wise counsel highly. I did not necessarily respond to instruction so well. It usually came from people I didn’t necessarily want speaking into my life. While sitting in a very liberal church with a friend at their request, I remember them apologizing for what I was probably going to hear that morning. Another person, very wise, heard the comment and said, “I find I can hear God speak something no matter where I am. I just have to listen for His voice.” Good counsel and a great way to avoid the wicked. Today, listen to God and obey. #BeTheEdge
“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.” Psalms 32:8 NIV
