By Stephen Wolemonwu

“So don’t go to war without wise guidance;victory depends on having many advisers,” (Proverbs 24:6, NLT).

What we hear, see, touch, feel, stay close to, commune with, impact us greatly, either positively or otherwise. Every man is a product of information received and processed over time. We become what we come in contact with consistently. The word ‘counsel’ in relation to advice is synonymous in meaning with guidance, information, admonition, input, recommendation, assistance, suggestion, feedback, adjuration, instruction, coaching, teaching, solution, lesson, urging, warning, observation, mentoring, briefing, judgment, tip, data, answer, consideration, pointer, sermon, speech, lecture, alert, prompting, tutoring, interference, verdict, thoughts, direction, cautioning, alarm, priming, forewarning, hint and caution among others. Critical analysis of these words gives deeper insight to avenues through which counsel or advice is received.

In life, we must watch what we hear, see, touch and expose ourselves to ,as they influence our decisions sometimes unconsciously. Channels of advice are channels through which, we receive guidance, information, assistance, teaching, feedbacks, directions, alarm, prompting, lessons, warnings, interference, mentoring, judgments, speech and observation, among others. Looking at this, you will agree that we receive counsel even unconsciously everyday. The traffic light on the road gives us advice, the road signs give us advice, the weather, the natural occurrences, circumstances, life challenges, supports and favours all gives us counsel, but sometimes, we pass over these great counsellors without noticing or adhering to their good counsel.

People perish not for lack of caution, but for ignorance, lack of attention and poor adherence to signals. Every time life sends us strong signals; through several portals, we get frequences and warnings, but we are not careful to track them either because we are too busy, too noisy, very distracted and full of ourselves that we fall into the problem that we would have ordinarily avoided. One of the strongest reason people fail to process counsel availed them by nature and life is arrogance and pride. Proverbs 16:18 says: “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.”

Most African proverbial sayings teach us the significance of advice:
• “Advice no be curse.”
• “Keep your advice to yourself.”
• “What an old man sees sitting down, a child cannot see it even if he climbs an iroko tree.” (Nigeria/Yoruba – wisdom comes with age and experience).
• “The words of the elders become sweet some day.” (General African – Advice might not be appreciated immediately, but will be understood later).
• “Ears that do not listen to advice, accompany the head when it is chopped off.” (Zambia/Bemba – Ignoring advice leads to dire consequences).
• “If you’re passing behind someone’s house and hear advice being given, pause and listen.” (General African – Take advice, even if it wasn’t intended for you).
• “Give advice, if people don’t listen, let adversity teach them.” (General African – Advice cannot be forced).
• “Wisdom is like a baobab tree; no one individual can embrace it.” (Ghana/Akan – No single person has all the answers).
• “Only a fool tests the depth of a river with both feet.” (General African – Do not take reckless risks; act with prudence).
• “A wise person doesn’t fall down the same hill twice.” (General African – Learn from mistakes)

The word ‘counsel’ in the King James Version (KJV) Bible, along with related forms like counsels and counselled appears over 150 times. Then, with “counsel” itself appearing 143 times. Counsel as seen in the KJV refers to advice, consultation, deliberation or a decree/plan, typically focusing on God’s divine guidance (Psalm 33:11) or wisdom offered by others (Proverbs 15:22). It implies a deliberate course of action, often contrasted between divine direction (“counsel of the Lord”) and ungodly influence (Psalm 1:1, 33:11). The term implies a “guide or compass” for making decisions that align with God’s will, preventing reckless mistakes and saving a person from ruin.

Daily we receive advice via social media, people’s mistakes and success, learning environment, immediate environment, daily interaction, and unconscious meetings.

Most Popular Quoted Scriptures On Counsel:
• Proverbs 11:14 (KJV) states: “Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counsellors there is safety.
• Proverbs 24:6 (KJV) states: “For by wise counsel thou shalt make thy war: and in multitude of counsellors there is safety.”
• Proverbs 12:15 in the King James Version (KJV) states: “The way of a fool is right in his own eyes: but he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise.”
• Proverbs 19:20 (KJV): Hear counsel, and receive instruction, that thou mayest be wise in thy latter end.
• Psalm 16:7: “I will bless the Lord, who hath given me counsel: my reins also instruct me in the night seasons.”

• The Ven. Stephen Wolemonwu, Rector, The Ibru International Ecumenical Centre 08035413812; [email protected]