Counsellors
“Without counsel purposes are disappointed: but in the multitude of counsellors they are established.”Proverbs 15:22
Reflection
Every plan is born, at some point, from a single head, and that is a risk. Each of us sees reality from a single angle, with our own limitations, fears and blind spots. Proverbs records a practical lesson about this: "Without counsel purposes are disappointed: but in the multitude of counsellors they are established." Without counsel, the plan has a great chance of failing; with many counsellors, it is confirmed, settled, sustained. Biblical wisdom recognizes that no one is wise enough to decide everything alone.
Notice that the text speaks of "counsel" and of "counsellors". It is not just any opinion; it is someone who brings experience, wisdom, honesty and commitment to the truth. There are counsellors who only say what we want to hear, and these strengthen our blindness. Good counsellors are those who have the courage to disagree respectfully, to point out risks, to ask hard questions. Seeking counsel requires humility: admitting we do not know everything, that we may be wrong, that we need other perspectives.
There is a common trap: asking for counsel only after having already decided, seeking merely a confirmation. That is not seeking counsel, it is looking for approval. True counsel is asked in time to change one's mind. And there is another: consulting only people who think as we do. The "multitude" the text mentions suggests a variety of voices, experiences and backgrounds. And, for the believer, the first Counsellor is God Himself, through prayer and the Word, and then the mature people He places in our path.
Is there an important decision you are facing or putting off? A marriage, a move, an investment, a career, a family matter? Before deciding, seek two or three wise and experienced people who know you well and who love the truth. Lay out the situation honestly, listen with openness and consider with prayer. You are not obliged to follow every piece of advice, but you gain clarity. And remember: whoever humbles themselves to ask for guidance usually avoids much pain along the way.
Prayer
Lord, give me humility to ask for counsel and wisdom to recognize good counsellors. Free me from deciding alone out of pride or fear. Place wise people in my path, and let me hear Your voice through Your Word and Your people. May my plans be established in You. Amen.
Put it into practice
Think of an important decision you face and seek out two or three wise and experienced people today to hear their opinion. Lay out the situation honestly, listen with openness and pray before deciding.
To reflect on
In which decision have you relied only on your own judgment, and which wise counsellors could you seek before deciding?
Bible text: King James Version (public domain).