“Four eyes see better than two” (Old Saying).
IT’S A FOOLISH PERSON INDEED WHO DOESN’T APPRECIATE THE VALUE OF ADVICE. When we’re faced with a decision-making situation, none of us can see everything that would be profitable to see. We need the supplementary vision that comes from other eyes, and to the extent that we let our viewpoint be enlarged and improved by other people’s perspectives, our decisions will turn out better.
There are some, no doubt, who go to the opposite extreme, taking the advice of everyone they meet, regardless of whether the advice is good, bad, or mediocre. But the person who takes everyone’s advice is just as foolish as the person who doesn’t take anybody’s. At some point, we have to take responsibility for our own choices. We should heed good advice and disregard that which is not so good — and then we must make our decisions independently.
But therein lies the trick! If we could always tell the difference between good and bad advice, we probably wouldn’t need any advice. As Wilson Mizner said, “To profit from good advice requires more wisdom than to give it.” So, we need to grow in wisdom — the wisdom required to recognize and act on good advice.
Our most common mistake is disregarding advice that conflicts with our preferences and preconceived ideas. Whoever agrees with our preferred course of action is “wise,” and his advice is “good,” while the fellow who warns us we’re on the wrong track is usually written off as someone who “just doesn’t understand.”
But sometimes the best advice is the most uncomfortable. And not only that, but the best advice may come from unwelcome sources, perhaps even our enemies. Yet if we know what’s good for us, we’ll learn to profit from helpful advice, regardless of where it comes from or how little we may want to hear it.
In my experience, the best advice usually has to be sought. We must actively look for it; it doesn’t usually look for us. Because they desire to be courteous, many of our friends won’t speak frankly about our circumstances unless we ask them to. And as we all know, asking for advice can be embarrassing. But if we stay silent when we need help, we only hurt ourselves in the long run.
“I not only use all the brains I have but all I can borrow” (Woodrow Wilson).
Gary Henry – WordPoints.com + AreYouaChristian.com
