18 When I said, "My foot is slipping," your love, O LORD, supported me. 19 When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought joy to my soul. 20 Can a corrupt throne be allied with you--one that brings on misery by its decrees? 21 They band together against the righteous and condemn the innocent to death. 22 But the LORD has become my fortress, and my God the rock in whom I take refuge. 23 He will repay them for their sins and destroy them for their wickedness; the LORD our God will destroy them.

A study of Old Testament history reveals mistakes that God’s people made from which we should learn lessons. One of these was when the leaders would seek advice from the wrong people. In fact, God often used this to carry out his will by putting bad advice in the minds of the advisors or by causing the person seeking advice to believe the wrong advice. A second problem that often plagued them was that they would turn to the nations around them for help from their enemies instead of trusting God to defend them and protect them. This would often “backfire” on them and their new allies would become (or join) their enemy and turn on them. The problem with both of these is that they trusted in man instead of God.

It is so easy for us today to turn to others for advice. This is not always bad and we need to be willing to listen to advice. In the Proverbs of Solomon (who was very wise) the virtues of seeking good advice is often extolled. The problem is not getting advice but where we go for it. It the advice we get is not based on the word of God or is not from one who shares our value for God and his word, then the advice will likely be wrong. James says there are two kinds of wisdom; that which is from above, from God and that which is from this world, which is demonic and causes all kinds of added problems for us.

We need friends to support us. Again this is encouraged in the Proverbs. But we need to not forget the warning of Paul that bad companions corrupt good morals. The two of these are tied together because our most influential advisers are usually our closest friends. When God is our most valued adviser and Jesus is our closest friend we are on the right track.

O God, please help me to have the wisdom that you can give so that I will accept good advice in my life. Help me to be humble enough to know that I don’t have all of the right answers in myself but that your word is to be a light to my path and is to direct my steps. Give me strength to obey your will and faith to know that this is always the right way. Use me to help others along their path and to be an encouragement to those who are struggling. Fill me with your love. I pray in the name of Jesus, my Lord.