Lou Holtz, the football coach, quipped, “My athletes always follow my advice . . . unless it conflicts with what they want to do.”
Why is taking good advice so difficult?
Solomon said, “The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice” (Prov. 12:15). Listening is such a necessary skill for success. Seeking good advice and counsel will propel us forward as we tap into the resources of wisdom and experience that surround us. Yet, we all struggle to do it.
So, why do we ignore good advice and counsel?
Solomon answered this query too when he wrote, “Whoever isolates himself seeks his own desire; he breaks out against all sound judgment” (Prov. 18:1). There are three reasons that we ignore good advice found in this one verse.
- We isolate ourselves. Have you ever noticed that when you don’t want to hear other’s advice, you just avoid them? Bible strongman Samson is a case study in isolating himself from the Israelites and his parents which lead to him marrying one of his enemies and ultimately to his capture and death. Don’t isolate yourself from others, you need the advice, counsel, help, and love of others.
- We are selfish. Solomon says we isolate ourselves because we are selfish. Our pride, arrogance, and downright selfishness causes us to refuse the good advice of others. We want to do what we want to do, even to our own demise. Samson wanted a Philistine wife because she was fitting to his eyes, thus he rejected his parents advice to marry an Israelite because he wanted this particular beautiful woman (Judges 14). Selfishness blinds us to good advice.
- We don’t want to do the right thing. Solomon says the man that isolates himself “breaks out against all sound judgment” (Prov. 18:1). Sometimes we reject good advice, because we resist doing the right thing. The fleshly side of our heart wins out! We have a carnal, earthly desire to do the wrong thing. It excites us. It pleases us. It makes us feel good to be a rebel and do what we want. You have probably even said, “I know this probably isn’t the right thing to do, but it makes me happy.” This is dangerous. It cost Samson two eyes–as his enemies poked them out. It cost Samson an embarrassing and persecution-filled prison stay that ended in his own death (Judges 15-16).
When you come to the forks in the roads of your life, stop and ask yourself, “Why am I refusing to take good advice?” Choose to humbly listen to those who love you, love God, know the Bible, and have learned from their successes and failures. Often the good advice is the toughest to follow, but it will bless you beyond measure into the future.
