EVEN LEADERS NEED TO LISTEN TO GOOD ADVICE

PROCLAMATION

“Hearken now unto my voice, I will give thee counsel, and God shall be with thee; Be thou for the people to God-ward, that thou mayest bring the causes unto God; And thou shalt teach them ordinances and laws, and shall show them the way wherein they must walk, and the work that they must do.  Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens; And let them judge the people at all seasons; and it shall be, that every great matter they shall bring unto thee, but every small matter they shall judge; so shall it be easier for thyself, and they shall bear the burden with thee.”  Exodus 18:19-22 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These are the words of God which were revealed to and written by Moses under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  After the defeat of the Amalekites, Jethro the father-in-law of Moses came to visit him.  He brought with him Zipporah, the wife of Moses, and their two sons Gershom and Eliezer. (Exodus 18:1-6)  Moses told Jethro all that The Lord God had done unto Pharaoh and how He had delivered the Israelites from slavery in Egypt.  Jethro rejoiced for all of the goodness of The Lord.  Then he offered a sacrifice unto God. (Exodus 18:7-12)  The next day, Moses sat and judged the people from morning until evening.  Jethro saw this and told Moses that this was not good.  Then he gave Moses some advice on how he ought to change the way the people were judged. (Exodus 18:17-22)  Moses listened to his father-in-law and took his advice. (Exodus 18:23-27)

 

APPLICATION

All of us should listen to good advice.  Even those leaders who are in charge should listen to the advice of wise counsel.  Leaders should surround themselves with wise people and then listen to their suggestions.  Sometimes the old traditional ways that we have always done things needs to change to a more efficient way of doing things.  However, when we give advice, or correct, or offer constructive criticism, we should do so in private.  We should choose our words carefully in order to help people and build them up, not to embarrass them or tear them down.   

WE ARE WHERE WE ARE FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS

PROCLAMATION

“For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your family’s family will perish.  And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?”  Esther 4:14 (NIV)

EXPLANATION

After Queen Vashti was banished from the kingdom, King Xerxes decreed that a search be conducted for all the beautiful young virgins in the kingdom in order to find a replacement for Vashti. (Esther 2:1-4)  Esther, who had been raised by her Jewish cousin Mordecai, was one of many young women brought to the king’s palace and placed under the care of Hegai, who was the eunuch in charge of the king’s harem. (Esther 2:5-8)  After twelve months of beauty treatments each woman would go in and spend the night with the king.  Afterwards she would return to another part of the harem under the care of Shaashgaz, the king’s eunuch who was in charge of the concubines and stay there until summoned by the king. (Esther 2:8-14)  Esther pleased the king more than any of the other virgins and he made her the new queen to replace Vashti. (Esther 2:17-18)  At that time, Mordecai angered Haman, who had the highest position of honor among the king’s nobles, because he would not kneel down to him and he wanted to kill Mordecai and all of the Jews. (Esther 3:1-6)  Haman convinced the king to issue a decree to kill all of the Jews on the same day and he sent couriers out to proclaim this in all provinces. (Esther 3:8-15)  When Mordecai learned of this, he requested Esther’s help to plead for the king’s mercy to save the Jews, but she initially refused. (Esther 4:1-11)  Then Mordecai told her, “who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this? 

APPLICATION

All things happen for a reason.  Each of us has a sphere of influence, a person, or a group of people whose behavior we can affect.  These people will listen to us and they will do what we say or suggest.  We may not all have a title, but we are still in a position of influence.  It is by the providence of God that we are where we are at any given time.  Let us be careful regarding the advice which we give to others.  We do not want to be the one who causes someone to stumble and fall into sin. (Malachi 2:8)  We especially do not want to cause a child of God to go the wrong way. (Mark 9:42 and Luke 17:2)  Let us pray that our words and advice will always be given with grace and be helpful to those who receive them. (Colossians 4:6)

LISTEN TO THE ADVICE OF YOUR ELDERS

PROCLAMATION

“Then King Rehoboam consulted the elders who had served his father Solomon during his lifetime.  ‘How would you advise me to answer these people?’ he asked. … But Rehoboam rejected the advice the elders gave him and consulted the young men who had grown up with him and were serving him.”  1 Kings 12:6-8 (NIV)

EXPLANATION

After King Solomon died, his son Rehoboam succeeded him as king. (1 Kings 11:42-43)  When Jeroboam, Solomon’s son who had rebelled against him in his old age and then fled to Egypt, heard that Rehoboam was king he returned to Israel. (1 Kings 12:2-4)  Jeroboam asked King Rehoboam to lighten the burden which Solomon had placed on him and said that he would serve him.  Rehoboam told him the go away for three days and then return, to allow him to consider his request.  Then he consulted the elders of Israel and rejected their advice.  He decided to follow the advice of the young men that he grew up with.  This eventually caused him to lose the support of the people (1 Kings 12:16-17) and led to the division of Israel with only the tribes of Judah and Benjamin supporting Rehoboam.  Jeroboam became king of the ten northern tribes, and he built shrines and two golden calves to be their gods and led them to worship idols. (1 Kings 12:28-33)

APPLICATION

All too often the young ignore, reject, and do not follow the advice of their elders.  They feel that they know better and that their elders are “old fashioned”, uninformed, and out of touch with reality.  If they listen to any advice it is usually that which comes from their friends and peers.  Rejecting good advice usually results in bad outcomes.  Only after they mess up and get into trouble do the young realize that their elders, their father and mother, really did know what was best for them. (Proverbs 5:12-14 and 30:17)  Listen to the advice of your elders for with age and experience comes some wisdom.

WHEN WE RECEIVE CONFLICTING ADVICE PRAY

PROCLAMATION

“Ahithophel said to Absalom, ‘I would … set out tonight in pursuit of David.  I would attack him while he is weary and weak …’  But Absalom said, ‘Summon also Hushai the Arkite, so we can hear what he has to say as well.’ … Hushai replied to Absalom, ‘… You know your father and his men are fighters … So I advise you: Let all Israel … be gathered to you, with you yourself leading them into battle …’  Absalom and all the men of Israel said, ‘The advice of Hushai the Arkite is better than that of Ahithophel.’ …” 2 Samuel 17:1-14 (NIV)

EXPLANATION

After King David fled from Jerusalem and Absalom had occupied the city, Absalom first sought the advice of Ahithophel, who had been David’s advisor.  Then he sought the advice of Hushai, who had been David’s friend.  Absalom liked the plan proposed by Ahithophel (2 Samuel 17:4) until he heard the plan offered by Hushai. (2 Samuel 17:14)  From a military perspective, Hushai’s advice was better than the advice from Ahithophel, but it was also better for David because it gave him more time to prepare for the battle.

APPLICATION

We should be very careful regarding who we listen to or seek advice from.  Almost everyone has an opinion, and advice is readily available everywhere from multiple sources.  However, when the well-respected experts disagree on a matter and offer different advice, we need to give the matter prayerful consideration.  The “good advice” which we receive may very well benefit someone else.  More importantly, good advice is only “good” if we ask the right question.  The right answer to the wrong question may not help us, and it may send us in the wrong direction.  That is why we need to take everything to The Lord in prayer. (Ephesians 6:18)

Sometimes We Need Help And Don't Know It

"The next day Moses took his seat to serve as judge for the people, and they stood around him from morning till evening. When his father-in-law saw all that Moses was doing for the people, he said, ... Why do you alone sit as judge ... What you are doing is not good ... The work is too heavy for you; you cannot handle it alone. Listen now to me and I will give you some advice ... select capable men from all the people, men who fear God, trustworthy men who hate dishonest gain, and appoint them as officials ... Have them serve as judges for the people at all times, but have them bring every difficult case to you; the simple cases they can decide themselves. That will make your load lighter, because they will share it with you." Exodus 18:13-22 (NIV)

Moses was doing God's work, helping the people by settling disputes between them, but he was doing it all day long by himself. His father-in-law saw what he was doing and suggested that he get some help to lighten the work load.

We need to recognize that we need help, that we cannot do this all by ourselves. Sometimes God allows people in our lives for a time to help us, to offer good advice. We need to prayerfully consider the advice that we get from others and the help that is offered. While all advice is not good, we need to recognize that we cannot make all alone doing everything by ourselves. When we need help, we should pray, and remember what the psalmist said, "My help comes from The Lord, The Maker of heaven and earth." Psalms 121:2