advice

Jeremiah 11:8
“Yet they did not obey or incline their ear, but everyone followed the dictates of his evil heart…”

It is very common today to hear phrases like, “follow your heart.” This seems to be the most common counsel given as it relates to decision making today. When someone is trying to determine if a relationship is good or not, or whether they should take a job, or change careers, the most common advice seems to be, “follow your heart.” It’s as if the most trustworthy guide for human behavior and decision making is an inner compass called the heart. There are some significant problems with that advice.

First off, when we refer to the heart in this context, we are not speaking of an actual organ or even mechanism, instead we are making reference to what philosophers define as the seat of emotion. Some cultures refer to the bowels, kidneys or stomach to speak of the same thing. What a person is actually saying when they advise you to follow you heart, is to follow your emotions. The question we must ask is, “Are the emotions a trustworthy guide for living?” Have your emotions ever confused you or led you astray? Have you found that your emotions change drastically from day to day or even moment to moment? I think we all would concede that emotions are a poor compass to guide us through life.

Second, the Bible warns us that the heart is wicked (Jeremiah 17:9). That means our heart or emotions will not always guide us toward what is best. There are times when we knowingly do things that are harmful to ourselves, the people we love, and our relationship with the Lord. To allow our heart to be our guide is like using a broken compass or a faulty map. Years ago my wife and a group of ladies from the church traveled to Washington DC. Having downloaded a map offline, they proceeded to drive through the city. They found a large public building had been built where a road was supposed to be. Following the heart is like following a faulty map, you will not get where you desire to go.

Instead of letting emotions be our guide, Jeremiah exhorts us to use the Word of God as the principle force to direct us through the journey of life. Decision making should lead us to the Word, where we will find the things that matter to God. The Word of God will help us determine the best course of action, given the circumstances we are facing.

Let’s allow the Word “to be a lamp to our feet and a light to our paths.” (Psalm 119:105)

Pastor Jim

1 Kings 12:8
“But he rejected the advice which the elders had given him, and consulted the young men who had grown up with him, who stood before him.”

A youth pastor I once knew had a plaque posted on his wall that read, “Hire a teenager while they still know everything.” Every parent and high school teacher can attest to the fact that young people are often stubborn and insist they know better than the generations that have gone before them. I think part of this is God given and healthy. I think there is great value, especially to the church, in allowing a fresh set of eyes to give us a different perspective on how to best approach ministry. That being said, I also believe this can be unhealthy, and even destructive, when it is not curbed and directed by the wisdom of those who have walked before us.

After the death of Solomon, a new king took the throne. With his ascension, the population had great expectations of things getting better. The building campaigns led by Solomon had resulted in high taxation that was crippling the economy. The people pleaded with King Rehoboam to lighten the burden. He took counsel from the elder statesmen of Israel and from his peers. Sadly, he rejected the wisdom of those whose lives bore the marks of wisdom, and chose to listen to his friends. This proved very costly, and resulted in a civil divide that would forever weaken the nation of Israel.

There is a lot we should learn from Reheboam, not the least of which is, the value of taking heed to the wisdom of those who have walked before us. One definition of crazy is to do the same thing over and over and expect different results. If the generation before us learned the value of certain life principles, we would do well to listen to their counsel, as we seek to forge a new path for the kingdom of Heaven. Obviously, the applications of this truth are very broad, however, I think this is an especially valuable concept for those who are seeking to serve the Lord. It is quite easy to look at churches run by grey or balding men and think they are old fashioned and need an upgrade. It may be true that the music style and the design of the stage could use some improvement, but it is also true that the principles of ministry that are tried and true must never change. Remember, the church was designed and built by Jesus, the principles are not ours, but His.

Pastor Jim