When you have big questions about life, where do you go? When you are perplexed by a life situation and need help, who do you ask? In our Alpha study last week they asked this question to several people (all under 35) on the streets of London and the answers they gave are as follows: my parents, Google, smart friends, Wikipedia, my grandmother, the library, I figure it out by myself, my husband. It was surreal to watch these young people look up, look sideways and squirm as they wrestled with a deep question like this. It almost seemed to perplex them that big decisions would come their way that they would not be able to answer. An enlightening experiment to say the least, but the question still stands, when a question above your pay grade hits, where do you go for answers?
The first thing you’ll notice about the answers above is not one said God. Of course, the first and only place you should start seeking help is from your Heavenly Father, the giver of everything good. But He has placed wise people in our lives and through them God can also speak loudly and clearly into your life. So, our study this morning will focus on just that, how to discern worldly wisdom versus Godly wisdom in the people that God places in front of us, ie, seeking wise counsel.
I’ve had this scenario play out countless times in my life, I hit a brick wall with a decision or situation that has me confounded and I just need someone I can trust to speak objectively to me on the subject. God calls it seeking “wise counsel.” And God has plenty to say about it.
“The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, But a wise man is he who listens to counsel.” Proverbs 12:15
“Where there is no guidance the people fall, But in abundance of counselors there is victory.” Proverbs 11:14
“Through insolence comes nothing but strife, But wisdom is with those who receive counsel.” Proverbs 13:10
“Listen to counsel and accept discipline, That you may be wise the rest of your days.” Proverbs 19:20
“He whose ear listens to the life-giving reproof Will dwell among the wise. He who neglects discipline despises himself, But he who listens to reproof acquires understanding. The fear of the LORD is the instruction for wisdom, And before honor comes humility.” Proverbs 15:31-33
This morning in Exodus chapter 18 we see a beautiful example of this and it will serve as the model for our study. By this time the Israelites are settling into a rhythm of life and becoming a little more accustomed to their new nomadic lifestyle. And as people live together and become comfortable with each other, they bicker. As a result, many disputes arise between the people. It reminds me of the kids in the backseat of the car. “mom…he hit me, mom…he took my stuff…mom, he’s sitting in my spot…mom…he’s licking his finger and putting it in my ear!” Of course, I say none of this from personal experience growing up with two older brothers. Needles to say with over 2 million people camping together, they had civil disputes...alot of civil disputes. And to settle civil disputes, you need court.
So, Moses sets up court and unfortunately, the case load is so high, he is sitting in court from “morning till evening.” judging the cases. I’ve seen the non-sense that happens on Judge Judy between people, Moses must have been ready to pull his long white hair out after judging people’s petty problems for 12 hours straight. But about this time, Moses’ father-in-law comes to visit. Jethro the priest of Midian. (Jethro just doesn’t seem like a Bible name, right?) So, Jethro being an older, wiser man of God, sees that this can be done a little better. It's killing Moses and it doesn't have to. So, he and Moses talk and Jethro offers Moses wise counsel. Now it’s important to note here a key point about asking for and receiving wise counsel, it’s up to you what you do with it. You can listen or not listen. You can apply it or not apply it. You can consume it or discard it. Ironically, you need wisdom to accept wisdom. And folks, I have seen so many people receive wise, sage advice in their lives and then crumple it up and toss it over their shoulder and proceed to make some of the biggest mistakes of their life. What you do with wise counsel is just as crucial as where you get it.
So, Moses listens and as a result we see the first form of an organized judicial system in God’s Word. In fact what we see here will be the beginnings of the Sanhedrin, the Jewish religious council. He selects elders that will hear the petty cases, the civil cases and the capital cases and the most demanding cases will still be brought before Moses. Pretty efficient. And take careful notice that this system did not come from God as a command directly to Moses, it came from a man of God to Moses. But the judges were to be carefully selected and screened. And it is in this passage of God’s Word that we will extract the many ways that I think we can ourselves select men and women of wise counsel in our lives today.
“But you should also look among all the people for capable persons who respect God. They should be trustworthy and not corrupt. Set these persons over the people as officers of groups of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens.”
1) Look among all people. God has placed a myriad of people within your grasp today. Why? Well, I think for two reasons, for you to help them and for them to help you. It’s a teamwork deal that God has in mind for us. Fellowship, iron sharpening iron, share each other’s burdens kinda setup. Don’t just limit your wise counsel candidates to your immediate family, friends, or pastor, look to all the people whom God has placed in you life. God’s wise counsel can and will come from some people that you’ll never expect.
2) Capable persons. Capable means “having traits conducive to or features permitting a required performance or accomplishment.” Basically, can you see wisdom in this person’s life? I’m not going to get advice on controlling my anger from someone that is in prison for aggravated assault. They are not capable of controlling their anger. If you’re seeking wise counsel on finances and debt management, do no go to someone that is perpetually broke and riddled with debt. They are not capable of managing their finances. I would call this the "common sense" of selecting wise counsel.
3) Who respects God. This one is third but this is by far #1. I as a follower of Jesus Christ do not want wise counsel from someone that does not believe in and follow Almighty God with every aspect of their lives. I need someone to advise me that believes in God, fears God, respects God and has a close relationship with God. Why? Well, all true wisdom can only come from God who is the Truth and all good decisions are based on His Truth. Read these verses on where true wisdom comes from:
“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.” Pro 9:10
“For the LORD gives wisdom: out of his mouth comes knowledge and understanding.” Proverbs 2:6
“If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that gives to all men liberally, and upbraids not; and it shall be given him.” James 1:5
4) Trustworthy. Can you trust this person in whom you are seeking wise counsel? It’s a simple question, the answer is either yes or no. If the answer is no, move on and keep looking.
5) Not corrupt. You could read this as “do they love money.” “For the love of money is the root of all evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows.” (1 Tim 6:10.) You see someone that is in love with money will make bad decisions, it’s a guarantee. There’s an old saying about what you hitch your wagon to and folks, you do not want to hitch your wagon to someone that can be easily corrupted by money.
Life is full of decisions, big and small, major and minor, easy and hard. God has put wise, God fearing, honest people in your life for a reason. When you are struggling with these hard questions, call them up, take them to coffee and ask what they think. If they pass these 5 tests, I would lend an ear to what they say and then take it to the Lord and base your decision on the best combination that God offers.
Bless you today as you face the deep questions and predicaments of life and the answers to them that will glorify God.
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