Be Open to Advice

The way of a fool seems right to him, but a wise man listens to advice. Proverbs 12:15

When you ‘don’t know what you don’t know’, you’re vulnerable to making mistakes. You may know a lot, but you don’t know all there is to know. So, you should always seek and be open to good input. Professional golfers play with a caddy. And the caddy is more than just a carrier of clubs; he or she is there for support and valuable advice. Tommy Bolt was one of the greatest golfers of all time. But he had a major flaw: a terrible temper. One year when he was playing in a tournament in Southern California, he was still angry because of a bad round he’d had the day before. So, he told his caddy only to say, ‘Yes, Mr Bolt,’ or ‘No, Mr Bolt,’ if he was asked a question. Otherwise he was to keep quiet. Bolt hit his first tee shot and it appeared to come to rest behind a tree. When he reached the spot, he asked his caddy, ‘Do you think I should hit a five-iron?’ The caddy, obeying orders, simply replied, ‘No, Mr Bolt.’ Bolt hit the five-iron anyway, and made an unbelievable shot that landed on the green a few feet from the hole. He turned to his caddy and proudly said, ‘What do you think about that shot?’ As the caddy picked up the bag and headed towards the green, he simply said, ‘That wasn’t your ball, Mr Bolt.’ If you don’t want to finish up making mistakes you will regret, be open to advice – and follow it. The Bible says, ‘The way of a fool seems right to him, but a wise man listens to advice.’

Prayer
Heavenly Father, I should always seek Your council but also the council of others that You put in my path. Thank You for placing them there for me. In Jesus’ Name, Amen