Who Will You Listen To?

And now, my child, listen to me,
   and do not depart from the words of my mouth.
Keep your way far from her,
   and do not go near the door of her house;
or you will give your honor to others,
   and your years to the merciless,
and strangers will take their fill of your wealth,

   and your labors will go to the house of an alien;

and at the end of your life you will groan,

   when your flesh and body are consumed,
and you say, “Oh, how I hated discipline,

   and my heart despised reproof!

I did not listen to the voice of my teachers

   or incline my ear to my instructors.
Now I am at the point of utter ruin

   in the public assembly.

                            (Prov 5:7-15 NRSV)

Taking the advice from others; learning from their pasts, takes a pretty strong person. Our nature tends to make us want to do things our way. We'd rather not listen to teachers, or parents, or anyone that God has put in authority over us. We'd rather do what pleases us than what pleases God.

But, we are reminded in the book of Proverbs not to be following in the ways of those who do not follow the way of the Lord. Do not be following the advice who will lead you away from the Lord to a point of utter ruin. Do not follow those who will lead you away from "The Way." Rather, follow those who God has appointed to teach you. 

Do not listen to those who would lead you away from God. They do so in order to justify their own selfish existence. They do so for their own benefit. Incline your ear to those who would show you "The Way" in which to go. 

Be careful who you listen to! Be careful who you follow!

God's Peace - Pr. J