Under the glass on our desk is a little sign which reads, ”We can’t solve our own problems... but we will gladly advise you on yours.”

At first glance this statement appears to be inconsistent, but upon further thought it isn’t quite so ridiculous. Many people have failed to follow what was very good advice simply because they refused to accept it from a person who was trying to help them. It takes wisdom to listen to those giving good advice when we know that the person telling us couldn’t do as well himself. We are wise if we listen anyway.

Jesus himself told us, ”The scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat: All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their work for they say, and do not.”

Just because the person advising us has faults is no reason for us to refuse to listen. Sometimes we get advice from those like the Pharisees who were hypocrites. Even then we should follow Christ’s admonition. Sometimes we may get advice from someone who knows how to da a thing but doesn’t do it because of his own recognized limitations. An example immediately comes to mind of a track coach who once tutored us. He could tell us how to run, the right form, step, how to breathe, etc. and we all listened, even though we could easily outrun him. We did not discount his advice just because we could run faster than he could .

In life we have often heard good advice thrown to one side because the person receiving it could already perform better than the person giving the sound counsel. In the matter of public speaking, many times we do not see ourselves as others see us, and perhaps a kind brother or sister who couldn’t begin to speak can give us helpful hints, that if followed, would improve our talks. To refuse this advice is only showing our own folly.

Solomon told us ”Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee; rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee. Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser: teach a just man, and he will increase in learning.”

We can learn from others. We show what kind of person we really are by the way we react to criticism. If we are wise, we will give it careful thought even if it comes from our enemies because there is often more than a grain of truth in the harshest criticism.
There is another side to this coin. The side dealing with the giving of advice. As the little sign indicates, we should be willing to try to help others even if we haven’t solved all of our own problems. If we wait until we are perfect before we begin to turn our attention to assisting others then we would never begin.

If we love one another as ourselves, then we are truly interested in them and anxious to help them if we can. We mustn’t use our own inadequacies as ap excuse for ignoring the needs of others. It is important that we are truly helping, not meddling. God looks upon our hearts and knows if we really want to be of service or are just being nosey. Let us be sure that we are sincere in our desire to help. None of us is without sin, so we can’t throw stones, but let us always be ready to give a helping hand or a kind word of advice even if we haven’t solved all of our own problems.