To Whom Do You Listen?

“But Amnon had a friend whose name was Jonadab, the son of Shimeah, David’s brother; and Jonadab was a very shrewd man.” 2 Samuel 13:3 NASB

David and his family experienced a series of tragedies. And it all began after he committed adultery with Bathsheba.
His son, Amnon, deceived and raped David’s daughter, Tamar. In revenge, another son, Absalom, murdered Amnon, and then led a revolt against his father. Yet the spark for these problems was a man named Jonadab.
When Amnon was frustrated with desire for Tamar, Jonadab was the person to whom he turned. And it was Jonadab who suggested rape. Two years later, when Amnon was murdered by Absalom’s men, where was Jonadab? At the side of King David himself, where he was positioned as David’s confidante.
The Bible says that Jonadab was a “very shrewd man.” His words seemed wise, but, in the end, he was more “shrewd” than filled with Godly wisdom.
The story of Jonadab reminds us of why we need to be careful about where we turn for advice. There may be people like Jonadab in our lives, people we might consult when we need to make decisions: friends or neighbors, co-workers or relatives. Or they can be authors, talk show hosts, celebrities, gossip columnists, and other “authorities.”
But we are to be prayerful about where we turn. We first should commit our problems to God. To pray and seek His guidance, always seeking to live by Biblical principles. Always making decisions consistent with His Word. If we need help, we need to make sure that we look to people who really know God. Who are filled with His wisdom.
Today, ask God to give you wisdom and make the right decisions about the issues you face. Ask Him to deliver you from the influence of deceptive men and women, and help you to recognize those people who are being led by God, and filled with His wisdom.

Prayer: Father, give me Your perspective on the people I look to for advice. I commit these situations to You: _________. Give me Your wisdom, and discernment. In Jesus’ name. Amen.