A Word in Season: Many Counselors (Proverbs 11:14)

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One way to contribute to the failure of your plans is to ask nobody for advice.

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In Proverbs 11 and verse 14 we're told where there is no counsel the people fall, but in the multitude of counsellors there is safety.

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Now the context seems to be one in which there's going to be a measure of government or direction being provided by somebody for others.

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There's some sort of oversight perhaps that is taking place here and where somebody makes plans and proceeds without taking any advice from anybody else there is a consequence of the people coming to ruin.

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Things fail, the plan doesn't come to fruition or some part of it breaks down and the outcome is destructive rather than constructive.

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But by contrast in the multitude of counsellors there is safety, there is salvation, there is a good and a happy and a safe outcome.

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Now what does that actually mean? Well it doesn't mean that every time you do everything you cannot proceed until you've at least asked a certain number of people.

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But where there are substantial and careful plans being made it is wise and it is helpful to seek advice.

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Now the multitude of counsellors, what does that mean? Well for some people it seems to mean

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I'll just keep asking other people whether or not they like my idea until I find someone who agrees with me and says that they like it.

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That's not actually seeking advice from a multitude of counsellors. Other people will only ask either their friends or other people who they think are likely to agree with them.

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And then they say that they've got a multitude of counsellors, all of them agreeing and having compared and contrasted everybody that they know is on side.

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This is talking about finding wise men, wise women we might extend it.

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Wise people who are going to speak faithfully, honestly and clearly.

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People who are equipped to make the assessments and the judgements and are ready to deliver the insights and the verdicts that we need in order to be able to make good progress.

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It's true in the things of this world. If we're setting out on a particular plan, if we've got a particular goal in mind, if we're setting out on a week of work or a project as a whole, it's wise for us to go to the wise, to go to the well -equipped and insightful, the people with experience and good judgement, the people with a track record of faithfulness and honesty and integrity and competence to say what do you think of the plan that I have.

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It's especially wise if that plan or purpose that we're developing is going to have an impact on other people because we don't want the people to fail.

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We would want our governors, wouldn't we, our local or national authorities to take good counsel with regard to the plans that they're making.

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And it's just as wise with regard to the business of the church. If we have some purpose either for ourselves or for our families or for the church at large, if we have some role of responsibility or authority, then we ought to seek out counsellors in order to help us to discern what is the right way to do the right thing.

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Both of those need to go together. So as you think about the purposes that you have and the plans that you're making under guard, remember that where there is no counsel, the people fall.

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Either you yourself or those who depend upon you need you to take advice, to receive counsel.

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In the multitude of counsellors, there is safety. It doesn't mean perfection.

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It doesn't mean that your plan will just soar on and nothing will happen. But it might be that in the initial stages and the development of the plan or as the plan unfolds, you will be by God's grace given wisdom either to change it or just to stop it or to proceed with it in a way that secures a blessed outcome.

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It doesn't mean you need a thousand counsellors. It doesn't mean you necessarily need more than two or three.

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But choose those wise, thoughtful, experienced and competent people who you know will speak honestly into the situation and will tell you whether or not the desires of your heart and the way in which you're going about seeking them are in accordance with the will of God and will bring glory to His name and will help you to do those things to His praise and for the blessing of others.