“The way of fools seems right to them, but the wise listen to advice.”
— Proverbs 12:15
At lunchtime, Kylie was falsely accused by a teacher of leaving a pool of spilled milk on the floor. She hadn’t done it, and she fumed as she cleaned up the mess. As she stewed, she mentally rehearsed what she intended to say to that lunchroom monitor. After all, she had to defend herself. She only planned to tell the truth. That teacher had no right to accuse her! Kylie’s best friend tried to talk her out of having that heated confrontation, but Kylie wouldn’t listen. After all, she was 100 percent right. What could be wrong with telling off that mean teacher?
The Bible warns about the consequences we’ll receive if we refuse to be guided by others’ godly opinions. “Where there is no guidance the people fall, but in abundance of counselors there is victory” (Proverbs 11:14 NASB). Why is it so important to listen to others? Because we are so easily fooled into thinking we’re doing the right thing. We can be very sincere in our beliefs — but still be sincerely wrong. “There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death” (Proverbs 16:25).
Be smart. Get advice from trusted people before making your decisions.
More to Explore: Proverbs 15:22
Girl Talk: Do you have a problem that you wish you could share with someone? Do you have a trusted adult to confide in: a teacher, pastor, counselor, parent, or grandparent?
God Talk: “Lord, sometimes I try to figure everything out by myself. It’s scary to talk about my problems. Please give me courage to ask for advice. Amen.”
From Chick Chat by Kristi Holl