Good Christian Advice

Sometimes we need advice on certain issues and we want to turn to other mature Christians for advice. But there are so many Christians we could ask and who should we turn to?

It is a hard question with no easy answer. The problem many times is that most people only like easy answers and never get to the root of the issue.

So the first thing is that often turning to people who give easy answers that can typically be summed in one or two sentences is often a bad idea. If the issue is really so difficult that we need to seek advice a quick vague principle is unlikely to help.

Sometimes we need to look past the reputation of people to figure out who is good to get advice from. Since most people are uninterested in any advice that is not a quick fix many of the people who give the best advice are considered to be unwise.

It is ironic but you see it in the life of Jesus and many figures in the bible. The wise are viewed as unwise because the easy answers are not well received.

Often when I have had difficulties I have been recommended to this or that person in the church who knows. You often hear a lot of answers which are good but really cookie cutter and not worth the effort of asking.

But if you ask a lot of people who think they will give you complex answers, sometimes these answers are equally unhelpful but they at least provoke thought but sometimes these complex answers contain the solutions.

The character of an advice giver is often important. You often find in interaction with people that some people remember the details of your life and others don't.

Often people who remember things about you can give better advice to you than people who know who you are but can't remember things about you.

You see that memory is greatly improved by interest. People who care remember more about the people they care about overall than people who don't care. We remember more about what we find significant.

So the people who really care are often the ones to go to. And these people might not be the ones we bump into the most. A lot of people who care can be somewhat busy or sometimes on a slightly different schedule.

Some people we bump into the most and enjoy their company can not care as much as people we bump into infrequently.

With all that being said sometimes the best advice comes from unusual places. It isn't always the most respected people who give the best advice.

Sometimes their advice is simply too safe. If you are too biblical you may offend someone since many people are offended by what the bible has to say.

Many people who attend church find parts of the bible offensive! That is why many pastors skirt and don't preach on certain issues.

And maybe the issue at times is that the most respected people tend to be so "safe" in their faith that they can be of no use at times.