Because I said so

In response to The Daily Post’s writing prompt: “Take It From Me.”

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve given someone that you failed to take yourself?

Advice is a funny thing as most people aren’t really looking for advice when they ask your opinion, but instead for someone to agree with what they have already determined in their hearts to do. My position has been much the same numerous times in my Christian walk.  I do something, then ask God to bless it, instead of praying about His will in the first place.

I don’t believe we are suited to give advice in some situations until we have experienced them ourselves.  For instance, if you’ve never had children, your advice on how to raise them might be suspect, at the least.  The other thing I have learned is that unless you walk the walk, you advice is meaningless.  Many of the things I have learned and clung to were taught by people who embodied those same principles.  For the ones who said don’t “because I said so”, the voice just didn’t ring sincere.  I am not sure they were convinced themselves since their behavior didn’t back it up.

Any advice I have given that was actually good advice, either came from the bible or from a personal experience. The funny thing is, if from personal experience, it was usually something I went through because I didn’t heed advice.  It seems to be a vicious cycle sometimes.  We live and learn.  We then try to pass those lessons on, but alas, our attempted mentoring is ignored, so that person can then live and learn.

We are born into sin, and because of that we usually value our own opinions above all others.  Our pride inflicts wounds that humility would avoid.   Proverbs 19:20 says, “Listen to advice and accept instruction, and in the end you will be wise.”

My advice would be to take advice from the Word of God and from people who you can trust, who have walked through the same fire and came out better because of it.  Save yourself the trouble of learning for yourself.    I used to say that I wished I could hook up an IV filled with all I’ve learned in this life to my children, to save them the trouble of learning it. I’m sure my mother felt the same way.

When your mother asks, ‘Do you want a piece of advice?’ it is a mere formality. It doesn’t matter if you answer yes or no. You’re going to get it anyway.

Erma Bombeck