Godly Counsel

I woke up this morning and saw a vision of Ariel the Little Mermaid seeking counsel from Ursula the sea-witch. Then these two scriptures came to mind and began to minister to me:

Psalm 1:1
How blessed is the person, who does not take the advice of the wicked, who does not stand on the path with sinners, and who does not sit in the seat of mockers.

1 Corinthians 6:1-5
When one of you has a dispute with another believer, how dare you file a lawsuit and ask a secular court to decide the matter instead of taking it to other believers! 2 Don’t you realize that someday we believers will judge the world? And since you are going to judge the world, can’t you decide even these little things among yourselves? 3 Don’t you realize that we will judge angels? So you should surely be able to resolve ordinary disputes in this life. 4 If you have legal disputes about such matters, why go to outside judges who are not respected by the church? 5 I am saying this to shame you. Isn’t there anyone in all the church who is wise enough to decide these issues?

MORAL: God has given some in the church the gift of counsel and wisdom. So, as a Christian, you should seek counsel from other Christians who possess these gifts. Let those who carry the Word of God in their mouths and the fear of the Lord in their hearts be the judge of your matter. Unbelievers may have good intentions when they try to help you, and they may be able to give you good advice based off of their own carnal reasoning and life experiences, but good advice does not always equate to godly advice. Worldly people may be able to counsel you in worldly affairs (how to budget, how to fix a car, how to build a house, how to keep in shape, etc), but as for spiritual matters (relationship tips, conflict resolution, sex education, etc.) seek counsel in those who are spiritual.