Proverbs 15: 7 (NLT)
“The lips of the wise give good advice;
the heart of a fool has none to give.”
Sometimes I need advice – yes, even now in my old age, I need advice. So where do I go for advice? I want good advice, so I need to find a wise person. What do I look for?
I have a brother-in-law, Leonard, who is now in his eighties. As a young man, he immigrated to Canada at the end of the Second World War after a long and terrifying walk out of Poland along roads that were being bombed. He never had much of an education since his teen years were spent just surviving. In Canada he worked on farms, in a leather glove factory and as a custodian. If I wanted good advice, he is someone I would turn to. Why? He isn’t rich and he isn’t educated, so he doesn’t have two of the valued things in our culture – business savvy and ‘smarts’.
What does he have? He is a devoted Christ follower and over the years he has become so much like Christ. He is patient, a hard worker, very loving, kind, generous, helpful to anyone, has a great sense of humour and lots of common sense. He has raised two fabulous kids, and his wife adores him. I have never heard him criticize anyone; in fact, he will stand up for folks who have made bad decisions by explaining kindly that we all make mistakes. He’s at the top of the list of favourite relatives even for my own kids and grandkids. I have a feeling that he’s one of those quiet humble people who will be greatly missed by a lot of people when he steps into the arms of his Heavenly Father someday.
Why would I go to him for advice? Because I know he listens carefully, and I know he will pray for me. I think he has succeeded in his own life in all the areas that really matter. I know he will give advice that follows Biblical principles. I know he will consider all the options of what is best for me, as well as what is best for those around me. And I know that if he can help me in any way, he will.
My hope and prayer for all of you is that you will find someone like that in your life. They don’t have to be successful in our culture’s opinion, but someone who is a man or woman after God’s own heart.
Our song for today is You Are My Vision by Rend Collective.