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Apr 01, 2025 18:00pm

Letters to My Children: Listening to Advice (Part 1)

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To My Children,

“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction” (Proverbs 1:7).

When we are young, it is easy to think we have it all figured out. It is tempting to want to run our lives without any advice or counsel from others—especially not from older people, and especially not from our parents! When we are young, it is also easy to think no one has ever been through what we are going through and that no one understands what it’s like to face what we’re facing. Our parents’ experiences seem antiquated compared to what our generation is dealing with. We often immediately dismiss them as unrelatable.

We want to do what we want. We don’t want other people telling us what to do. We think our desires and experiences are all there is to know and are always right. When our parents try to talk to us, we can be quick to shrug off their advice. But the Bible tells us there are four main reasons we should listen to the counsel of those who have more wisdom and experience than we do.

First, Scripture warns us about the dangers of being right in our own eyes. Proverbs 3:7 says, “Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and turn away from evil.” Similarly, Proverbs 26:12 says, “Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.” In the book of Judges, there came a time when everyone did what was right in their own eyes. Because of that, the nation of Israel was constantly in trouble and oppressed by other nations until God would send a wise judge to rescue them.

When we think we are the determiner of what’s right and need no other counsel than our own, we are being prideful, and pride comes before a fall. Too often, we think, “I’ve got this,” when we don’t, and then go tumbling headlong into a problem we didn’t see coming—all because we wouldn’t listen to anyone else. “The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice” (Proverbs 12:15).

Next, Proverbs contrasts those who listen to advice versus those who don’t. Whoever listens to instruction is on the path to life (10:17), is prudent (15:5), will dwell among the wise and gain intelligence (15:31–32), will discover good (19:8), will have a future, a hope, and a treasure (24:14; 25:11–12), and the list goes on. Proverbs 22:17–18 says, “Incline your ear and hear the words of the wise, and apply your heart to my knowledge, for it will be pleasant if you keep them within you, if all of them are ready on your lips.”

Conversely, those who do not listen to wise counsel will come to ruin (10:8), lead others astray (10:17), be fools and scoffers (15:5, 12), despise themselves (15:32), stray from knowledge (19:27), and lead themselves to death (13:4; 16:25; 21:16).

We will save the final two reasons for my next letter.

I love you. Grow in godliness and in your love for God.