This summer I’m working at a pool and am surrounded by children and teens all day. The topics of conversation have been quite interesting, and every day has a different drama unfolding.
The other day, there were some elementary girls going through some drama and one of them decided to consult an expert – a teenage girl – on what to do. As I listened to the advice this teen was giving this younger girl, my heart hurt a little bit.
For better or worse, I decided to join in the conversation with advice from my mid-life adult self. The young girl went off and did her thing. I tried to take a moment to explain to the teenager why I offered different advice than she did. As the day continued, I reflected on the entire situation.
As humans, we seek advice from others – friends, mentors, even using social media to find answers to our questions/problems. But the advice given is based completely on the person’s own personal experience and perspective.
In the book of Isaiah, God says:
My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts, and My ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so My ways are higher than your ways and My thoughts higher than your thoughts.
God’s perspective is much greater than our own. We see little bits and pieces and try to guess the bigger picture. He sees and knows the bigger picture and tries to reveal it to us in a way we can understand.
The question I’ve been asking myself since that conversation is: “From whom do I seek advice?” Am I going to God – the giver of wisdom? Or am I seeking out advice from someone who only sees a small portion of the whole picture?