How can I prepare myself to be open to good advice?

Deuteronomy 11:8“So commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these words of mine. Tie them to your hands and wear them on your forehead as reminders.”

2 Chronicles 24:17-18After Jehoiada’s death, the leaders of Judah came and bowed before King Joash and persuaded him to listen to their advice. They decided to abandon the Temple of the Lord, the God of their ancestors, and they worshiped Asherah poles and idols instead! Because of this sin, divine anger fell on Judah and Jerusalem.

Proverbs 1:23Come and listen to my counsel. I’ll share my heart with you and make you wise.

When we commit to our relationship with God, we will grow in recognizing what God values. Then, we will learn to recognize good advice when it rings with an echo of God’s goodness.

Psalm 1:1-3, 6Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join in with mockers. But they delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night. They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do . . . For the Lord watches over the path of the godly, but the path of the wicked leads to destruction.

Psalm 37:4Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires.

Meditating on God’s Word exposes the foolishness of worldly wisdom and opens our hearts to God’s ways.

Proverbs 13:10Pride leads to conflict; those who take advice are wise.

Proverbs 29:1Whoever stubbornly refuses to accept criticism will suddenly be destroyed beyond recovery.

Proverbs 15:12Mockers hate to be corrected, so they stay away from the wise.

Sins, such as pride and stubbornness, can cause us to ignore wise advice.

Proverbs 18:15Intelligent people are always ready to learn. Their ears are open for knowledge.

Matthew 13:12“To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given, and they will have an abundance of knowledge. But for those who are not listening, even what little understanding they have will be taken away from them.”

Luke 8:18“So pay attention to how you hear. To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given. But for those who are not listening, even what they think they understand will be taken away from them.”

Acts 17:11The people of Berea were more open-minded than those in Thessalonica, and they listened eagerly to Paul’s message. They searched the Scriptures day after day to see if Paul and Silas were teaching the truth.

Being open-minded will prepare you to hear, evaluate, and receive good advice.

Proverbs 15:31-32If you listen to constructive criticism, you will be at home among the wise. If you reject discipline, you only harm yourself; but if you listen to correction, you grow in understanding.

Proverbs 12:15Fools think their own way is right, but the wise listen to others.

Realizing the benefit of advice and constructive criticism helps us to be more attentive to what others have to say. Listening can change our lives.

Job 6:24“Teach me, and I will keep quiet. Show me what I have done wrong.”

Sometimes our circumstances prepare us to receive advice.

1 Kings 12:10-11The young men replied, “This is what you should tell those complainers who want a lighter burden: ‘My little finger is thicker than my father’s waist! Yes, my father laid heavy burdens on you, but I’m going to make them even heavier! My father beat you with whips, but I will beat you with scorpions!’”

It’s wise to check our motives when listening to advice. Don’t act merely on what you want to hear.

Numbers 36:5So Moses gave the Israelites this command from the Lord: “The claim of the men of the tribe of Joseph is legitimate.”

Be more concerned about the right way than your way.