Where do you go for input?

Who we seek counsel from is important. It seems that all too often we look every place besides the voices that we need to listen to when it comes to seeking after wisdom and advice. I shared some thoughts with our interns the other morning on who we get our advice and input from that I thought would be worth passing along.

1 Kings 12:1-15 tells the story of King Rehoboam coming to power and where he took advice from.

1. Don’t just surround yourself with people who will tell you what you want to hear
2. Listen to the advice of wisdom.
3. Sometimes the people closest to you in age wont have the perspective you need to hear.
4. Be aware of the needs of people around you - not just want you think you need or want.
5. Being teachable is a non-negotiable for leaders.

When I was younger I didn’t always value the input of people who were older than me. I remember at times my parents telling me things that I thought they did not know what they were talking about…amazing how a few years changes perspective! As I have grown in my understanding of God’s Word and in years (now almost 31), I see how vital it is to have the right people and voices around us for input.

If you are young, don’t make the mistake of only taking advice and wisdom from your own age group. Listen to what people with a few more years have to say. Then be teachable and put it into practice.