Help! I need somebody.

Do you know one secret of those who have reached the pinnacles of success? It’s right up there with determination, tenacity, and hard work. It’s something the book of Proverbs offers repeatedly to help you navigate your path: seeking advice. Proverbs offers us 4 keys to getting good counsel so we avoid the potholes on our path.

Proverbs 1:5 reminds us that you will always need good counsel. The wise person knows they need the counsel of others.

I read a story recently about a comedian who was playing in a small lounge on the East Coast when President and First Lady Bush came in. Mrs. Bush asked the President what kind of sandwich he wanted, and W said, “I don’t know.” The comedian said, “At that point, I became a presidential advisor.” He suggested the president order the pastrami on rye, no mayo. Even Presidents need advisors, and the best Presidents listen to their advisors.

Don’t let pride keep you from seeking counsel (Proverbs 13:10). Pride can sucker-punch anyone, and pride’s decoy is success. When you have had a few wins, it can be easy to assume you know what you are doing, but the most successful people understand they don’t know everything and seek advice.

Solomon also counsels us to ask more than one person for advice (Proverbs 11:14). In my small group, we have people from every age range who have a variety of work experiences. When anybody in our group needs advice, we have so many perspectives it would be hard to make a poor decision…unless you disregard all their advice.

To make sure the path you are on leads to your desired destination, heed the counsel of those who have been where you want to go (Proverbs 15:22). The secrets to getting good counsel are:

1. knowing that you need it,
2. being willing to accept it,
3. seeking it from multiple people, and
4. truly listening to those people.

BUT all of that is useless if you accept advice from the wrong people. We must prioritize the advice of the people who have arrived where we want to go with their character intact.

Who are your spiritual advisors in your walk with Christ? Who is mentoring you and helping you become more like Jesus? Why not ask God for a group of people who can help you continue to become more like Jesus?