DAILY TEXT, Today's Saturday January 21, Listen, my son, and accept my words (Prov. 4:10).

DAILY TEXT, Today's Saturday January 21, 2023, Listen, my son, and accept my words (Prov. 4:10).

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Saturday January 21

Listen, my son, and accept my words (Prov. 4:10).

Moses is a good example of someone who accepted Jehovah's correction after making a serious mistake. On one occasion, he was carried away by anger and did not give honor to Jehovah. Therefore, he lost the opportunity to enter the Promised Land (Num. 20:1-13). When Moses expressed to Jehovah how disappointed he was with that decision, he told him: “Never speak to me about it again” (Deut. 3:23-27). Instead of becoming bitter, Moses accepted that decision, and Jehovah continued to use him as the leader of the nation of Israel (Deut. 4:1). Moses is a good example for us. He showed that he accepted Jehovah's correction by serving him faithfully even after losing something very valuable to him. If we imitate the example of faithful men like Moses, we will do well (Prov. 4:11-13). Many brothers have done that. w22.02 11 paras. 9, 10.

What did brother Karl Klein realize?

Another example of someone who benefited from taking counsel is Brother Karl Klein, who was a member of the Governing Body. In his biography, he recounted that Brother Joseph Rutherford, a very good friend of his, once gave him very clear advice. Brother Klein acknowledged that he did not react very well at first. He explained: “The next time [Brother Rutherford] saw me, he said in a cheerful voice, 'Hey, Karl!' But because I still felt hurt, I just muttered hello. To this he replied: 'Karl, watch out! The Devil wants to trap you!’ I felt embarrassed, and I said, 'Oh, it's all right, Brother Rutherford.' But he knew it wasn't true, so he repeated the warning: 'Okay. Just be careful. The Devil wants to trap you. How right he was! When we hold a grudge against a brother, especially for saying something he has the right to say […], we expose ourselves to the Devil's traps”c (Eph. 4:25-27). Brother Klein accepted Brother Rutherford's advice, and they remained very good friends.

How does humility help us accept advice? (Psalm 141:5).

Humility will help us accept advice. This quality reminds us of how imperfect we are and how foolish we can be at times. As we have already seen, Job had a wrong way of thinking, but he later corrected it. He was humble and accepted Elihu's advice even though he was a much younger man than he was (Job 32:6, 7). Jehovah blessed Job for being humble. Humility also helps us to follow advice, even when we think we don't need it or when the person giving us advice is younger than us. An elderly man from Canada says: “We don't see ourselves the way others see us. So how are we going to progress if nobody advises us? Who doesn't need to keep cultivating the fruit of the spirit and keep improving as a teacher? (Read Psalm 141:5.)

How should we view the advice we receive?

Let's see the advice as a sample of God's love. Jehovah wants the best for us (Prov. 4:20-22). When he gives us advice through his Word, a Bible publication, or a mature brother, he shows us that he loves us. And, as Hebrews 12:9, 10 says, “he does it for our benefit.”

What should we focus on when we are given advice?

Let's focus on what they tell us, not how they tell us. Sometimes it may seem to us that the person who gave us advice did not do it in the best way. Sure, someone who gives advice should strive to give it in a way that makes it easy to accept (Gal. 6:1).d But if we're the ones receiving the advice, we need to focus on the message, even if we don't think we're getting it. they gave in the best way. We might ask ourselves, “Even though I don't like the way the person gave me the advice, is he right? Can I overlook your shortcomings and benefit from what you told me?" It would be good if we found a way to take advantage of any advice we are given (Prov. 15:31).

Why is it good that we ask for advice?

The Bible encourages us to ask for advice. Proverbs 13:10 says: "Wisdom accompanies those who ask for advice." And what a great truth that is! Those who ask for advice rather than wait for it often make more spiritual progress. So let's take the initiative and ask for advice.

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