You’re In Counseling

Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly —

-Psalm 1:1

    Today you’ll get some counseling.

Most of you won’t have deliberately signed up for it, at least not in the usual way. Normally when we want counseling, we make an appointment with someone who (hopefully) has expertise guiding others, then go to their office for empathy and answers. That’s counseling in the traditional sense.

But come to think of it, when are we not being counseled? I’m advised daily by television ads telling me I need a new Camaro, more hair, less weight and a reverse mortgage. Songs on the radio remind me I should be in love; billboards declare I should be sexy; commentators exhort me to be enraged; and icons from Oprah to Ellen say I should know, pursue and get what I want. Years ago I paid for weekly counseling. Today I get it daily, loudly, and for free.

And make no mistake about this: The ungodly have cornered the market on counseling. Most messages you hear today will not come from a Biblical base; most guidance you’ll get won’t spring from a mature believer. You’ll be advised by voices calling you from, and into, all directions. Some of it, though non-Christian, will probably be good – after all, sound financial, physical or relational tips come from all sources, secular or divine. But much of what you take in will also encourage the wrong decisions, influencing you to consider gratification above responsibilities, and falsely assuring you that you’re a free agent, answering to no one but yourself for the way you find pleasure and fun. That’s when the counsel of the ungodly gets lethal.

A lot of men I work with make the mistake of resisting without investing. They strive to resist temptations, tear their eyes away from unclean images, and discipline their minds not to dwell on sexual fantasies. These are all good and needful efforts all of us should be making.

But investment in healthy input is just as crucial. Like a cable program with over a hundred program options, you’ll have choices as to which “counselor” you’ll hear. Invest in the right message from the right source and you’ll be that much more fortified to resist the wrong, walk in the Spirit and make today one in which you’ve worshipped Him by keeping your eyes and ears attuned to His truths. Christian radio helps; daily Bible reading is mandatory; and a discriminating approach to what you allow into your head will largely determine what you do with the rest of your body. The right message from the right counselor makes all the difference.

In the Psalm quoted above, David not only pronounces a blessing on the one who delights in the right counsel, but he describes the results as well:

“And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.” (Psalm 1:3)

Delight in God’s counsel, revealed in His word and reaffirmed by the Holy Spirit within, and you’ll enjoy the stability of a well planted tree, bearing the right fruit and prospering in all your efforts.

Not a bad deal, considering the counsel’s simple, easy to follow and free.      We could all do a lot worse than to take it.