*Old Testament: Jeremiah 41-42
Poetry: Proverbs 24
New Testament: 3 John
I’ve always enjoyed this totally fabricated interchange between two people along the coast:
Americans: Please divert your course 15 degrees to the North to avoid a collision.
Canadians: Recommend you divert YOUR course 15 degrees to the South to avoid a collision.
Americans: This is the Captain of a US Navy ship. I say again, divert YOUR course.
Canadians: No. I say again, you divert YOUR course.
Americans: This is the aircraft carrier USS Lincoln, the second largest ship in the United States’ Atlantic fleet. We are accompanied by three destroyers, three cruisers and numerous support vessels. I demand that YOU change your course 15 degrees north, that’s one five degrees north, or countermeasures will be undertaken to ensure the safety of this ship.
Canadians: This is a lighthouse. Your call.
It’s a humorous example of disregarding the advice of others due to one’s own pride. I believe that is what is going on in today’s reading of Jeremiah 42. The people of Judah plead with Jeremiah to go to the Lord for them and tell them to either remain in Judah or go on to Egypt. Jeremiah comes back after 10 days and tells them the Lord said to stay put. The people then tell Jeremiah he is full of baloney. Jeremiah tells them they will be killed and they say See Ya! Gee… I wonder what will happen? I really feel for Jeremiah here as once again, someone begs for his advice and then was just like, nah, what do you know? Even after PROMISING they will do what he says! No wonder he is referred to as the Weeping Prophet.
Have you ever disregarded the advice of others? Was it unsolicited as in the lighthouse example? Was it solicited, like the people of Judah, and you ignored it anyway? Why did you disregard it? What were the results?
I’ve spoken of eternal significance in my previous writing. It’s a phrase my wise uncle uses to determine if something is worth getting worked up about. Does it have eternal significance? I suppose some advice doesn’t have eternal significance. I didn’t sand the cabinet before I painted it as advised by the paint can. Now it looks pretty cruddy. But some advice has great eternal significance. I have taken the advice of my parents, Sunday School teachers, pastors, and friends and put the Lord first in my life. I could write for some time about the blessings I have received because of acting on that advice.
All this to say, take good advice to heart and do not let pride get in the way. Like the sailors on that ship, it could save your life.
-Maria Knowlton
Reflection Questions
- Have you ever disregarded the advice of others? Was it unsolicited as in the lighthouse example? Was it solicited, like the people of Judah, and you ignored it anyway? Why did you disregard it? What were the results?
- How do you decide what advice to follow? Does your pride ever play a role in making that decision? How do you decide what is good advice and what is bad advice?
- What piece of advice or instruction have you heard or read lately that has eternal significance? Will you follow this advice? Why? How?
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