Happy Tuesday, Can you guess which national park is found in the state of Colorado? Is it Olympic; Mammoth Cave; Rocky Mountain; or is it Sequoia? Take a guess!
Tuesday 1/17
Prov. 27:9 "The heartfelt counsel of a friend is as sweet as perfume and incense."
Both of these two verses (9-10)are giving us some insights into the qualities of a true friend, both to teach us who to consider as a friend & to warn us just how to treat a trustworthy friend.
This verse begins by telling us the qualities of a friend. His counsel is tender, heartfelt, and from our words he has taken serious concerns for our benefit & hurt from a right and wrong decisions.
Secondly it will bring pleasantness & benefit to our lives.
Finally, it will cause a soothing, enrichment to our lives, like a soothing ointment. Not harsh, critical, or hurtful intent towards us.
Solomon was attempting to prepare his sons for the difficulty of kingship. There were many counselors who were selfish and would counsel the king in ways that were flattering, but ultimately brought some form of benefit to themselves.
The key to look for then is a caring, heartwarming fellowship that must be at the base of the person that you go to for counsel. Not someone who abuses the role of counselor for his own enrichment.
I was blessed in my life, for my father demonstrated for me the qualities of those that I should put my trust in. Even as a child he began rather than strong arming me, but instead guiding me through a reasoned response to my simple, many times foolish cares. He could have given me an edict and then brushed me off, but rather he stopped, observed, and lovingly helped me to come to a reasoned response. Because of his constant caring response, I found it easy to go to him with my other more complex struggles later on, and for the most times did.
His firm but compassionate care was as a result a powerful influence on my life. I have been forever endebted by him & even today I hear him say, "Now son lets look objectably at this."
Now as an adult I realize that he in his life was wrestling with much more difficult decisions, but, I never knew it, for he stopped & taught me to go now to my Heavenly Father for His loving, wise counsel.
Tomorrow we will look a several warnings that have been given to us that will assist us in friendship guidance.
So Go With God for the more rapidly we go to Him, the greater will be the blessings that flow from His ways.
Rocky Mountain?