DAILY TEXT, Today  Tuesday, September 26, 2023,  Pay attention and listen to the words of the wise (Prov. 22:17).

Let us examine the scriptures every day 2023

Tuesday September 26

Pay attention and listen to the words of the wise (Prov. 22:17).

We all need advice from time to time. Sometimes we are the ones asking someone we respect for advice. In other cases, a brother may be worried about us and let us know that we are about to make a “misstep,” that is, about to do something we would later regret (Gal. 6:1). . Or advice may come to us when we are corrected after having made a serious mistake. Whatever the case, we must listen to advice, because it is for our good and can save our lives (Prov. 6:23). Today's text encourages us to listen to “the words of the wise.” Nobody knows everything in this life; There is always someone who has more knowledge or experience than us (Prov. 12:15). So, when we listen to advice, we show that we are humble, that we are aware of our limitations and that we realize that we need help to achieve our goals. King Solomon wrote these words: “With many counselors good results are achieved” (Prov. 15:22). w22.02 7:1, 2. 

In what ways can advice reach us?

Advice can come to us directly or indirectly. What do we mean by indirect advice? The one we receive when we read something in the Bible or in one of our publications that makes us reflect on how we are doing things and motivates us to make the necessary changes (Heb. 4:12). And what is direct advice? It may be what an elder or any other mature brother gives us when he realizes that we need to improve in something. If someone gives us advice based on the Bible, he shows that he loves us very much. Therefore, let's show our gratitude by listening to that person and taking his advice seriously.

According to Ecclesiastes 7:9, what reaction should we avoid when we are advised?

Realistically, the advice that is most difficult for us to accept is the direct one, and it may even offend us. Because? We have no problem recognizing that we are imperfect. But when someone points out a specific flaw or error, we may find it difficult to accept it (read Ecclesiastes 7:9). We may make excuses, question the motivation of the person who gave us the advice, or take offense at the way he spoke to us. Or we may even think: “What right does he have to advise me? "He's wrong too!" What's more, if we don't like the advice, we may ignore it or talk to someone else hoping they will tell us what we want to hear.

What does Rehoboam's example teach us?

Let's look at the example of Rehoboam. When he became king of Israel, the people asked him to relieve them of the burdens that his father, Solomon, had imposed on them. Rehoboam did a good thing: he consulted the elders of Israel. They told him that if he did what the people asked, he would always have their support (1 Kings 12:3-7). Rehoboam apparently didn't like that advice, so he went to consult the men who had grown up with him. Those men were probably over 40 years old, so they would have had some life experience (2 Chron. 12:13). But, on that occasion, they gave Rehoboam bad advice: they told him to be tougher on the people (1 Kings 12:8-11). Rehoboam received two different pieces of advice. He could have prayed to ask Jehovah which of the two he should follow, but he did not do that. He accepted the advice he liked the most: that of younger men. And the consequences were disastrous for both the king and the people. In our case, the advice we receive may not always be what we want to hear. But, if they are based on what the Bible says, we must accept them.

What do we learn from what happened to Uzziah?

King Uzziah also rejected the advice. With the intention of offering incense, he entered a part of the temple that only priests could enter. They said to him, “Uzziah, it is not your place to burn incense to Jehovah! Only priests can burn incense.” How did Uzziah react? The Bible says he “was furious.” And why did he reject the advice? It is likely that because he was the king, he believed that he could do whatever he wanted. But Jehovah did not see it that way. If Uzziah had been humble, accepted the advice, and left the temple immediately, Jehovah might have forgiven him. But because of his boldness Jehovah struck him with leprosy, and he had that disease “until the day of his death” (2 Chron. 26:16-21). What do we learn from what happened to Uzziah? That if we reject the counsel of the Bible, we will lose the approval of Jehovah,

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