An Abundance of Counselors

One of the very simple but beautiful, and very relieving truths that we find in the book of Proverbs is the idea that the wise will seek counsel from others. This can be seen as a very elementary idea: if you don't know how to do something or act in a certain situation, then ask someone who does. Yet I find that pride and selfishness can make the application of this principle difficult.

"Without counsel plans fail, but with many advisers they succeed."
- Proverbs 15:22

"for by wise guidance you can wage your war, and in an abundance of counselors there is victory." - Proverbs 24:6

The point is this: we were not made to be self-sufficient. We are not suppose to be able to make it through the battles of life by our own strength and wisdom. We are just not strong enough. We are just not wise enough. If we try to make it on our own, our plans will fail. Yet, if we are surrounded by an abundance of God-fearing counselors, we will have victory. Sometimes... many times, we need to ask for help.

This means that we must go ahead and let our pride go. We must release our grip upon an inaccurate portrayal of our life that pictures us as anything but needy and dependent. Though the children of God have been bought with the blood of the Lamb and are now indwelt by the Holy Spirit, we are still fragile, sinful, and easily confused. We still have questions, weaknesses, doubts, and misunderstandings. Is this not why the body of Christ has so many members? Because different people have different strengths, weaknesses, and gifts, we are able to function in such a way that those who are strong in one area can counsel those who are weak in that area; and vice versa. In the areas where we have questions or weaknesses we are encouraged to go to others to receive their counsel. This is seen as wisdom in God's eyes when we seek out an abundance of counselors.

"By insolence comes nothing but strife, but with those who take advice is wisdom." - Proverbs 13:10

Our Lord does not consider seeking advice to be a sign of weakness, rather, He considers it to be a sign of wisdom.

"Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety." - Proverbs 11:14

One of the gifts that God has given us to keep us safe, is the Church! For within the family of God we may surround ourselves with an abundance of counselors. What a simple yet profoundly burden-lifting truth!
When we are faced with sin and temptation, we can seek advice. When we are confronted with various life choices, we can ask for counsel. When we don't understand a verse in the Bible, we can still pursue guidance.
It seems so simple and easy, yet pride always seems to get tangled up in the mix of things. Yet,
"When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with the humble is wisdom." - Proverbs 11:2

We must seek to put our pride away. We must seek to mortify it. We must remain beneath the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the Savior of the world. Repentance must be our daily prayer, as we seek to obey our God because of the redeeming work that He has done on our behalf. May we pray that our God would empower us to walk according to His Word.