Read 2 Kings 1

Whose Advice Do You Seek?

King Ahaziah fell and injured himself, and apparently, the injury was serious enough that he was not sure he would recover. So he called for his messengers and said, “Go inquire of Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron, whether I shall recover from this injury” (2 Kings 1:2). God instructs Elijah to meet the king’s messengers to ask a question and declare His judgment against Ahaziah: “‘Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are going to inquire of Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron?’ Now therefore, thus says the Lord: ‘You shall not come down from the bed to which you have gone up, but you shall surely die.’” (2 Kings 1:3-4).

Obviously, if you are reading a religious devotional, you know what is wrong with this. Yet, are we ever guilty of doing the same?

When seeking advice, we should approach someone who is both knowledgeable about our situation and well-versed in Scriptural morality. Too often, though, we turn to worldly wisdom. Whether it is a job situation, relationship struggles, or spiritual direction, we may go to our “best friends,” even if they are not Christians. They may be people that we have known for decades and the bond of friendship is nearly unbreakable, but if they do not share our morals, they may offer suggestions that contradict what the Scriptures teach.

Is it because there is no close brother or sister in the church of our Lord that you are going to inquire of your worldly friends? Paul speaks of the importance of the Christian family, treating one another as fathers, mothers, brothers, and sisters (1 Timothy 5:1-2). He warns against becoming too close with worldly associations (2 Corinthians 6:14-18). When we allow the world to influence us more than the Word, we find ourselves in dangerous territory.

When Jesus prayed for His apostles, He said, “I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth” (John 17:15-17).

Develop relationships with godly people so that when you need advice, you can ask those who have the same goal as you: to get to heaven, and take as many people with them as possible (including you)!