Environment for wise choices

He have some periods of time in life when we have to make choices. How do you make yours?

Create an environment for wise choices

Rehoboam’s environment

He took over the throne from his father, Solomon. The people were angry because of the YOKE that Solomon put on them. And the YOKE was: high taxes. The people asked smaller taxes. Two choosing contexts:The old generation who advised his father: to reduce the taxes. The new younger generation who advised him: to keep the taxes the same? NO! Make the taxes higher.

The bible says that Solomon was wise in his ruling of Israel (high taxes) and Rehoboam was fool (high taxes). What’s the difference? Well, is about the two different approaches they had.

! The bible says that Solomon was wise in his ruling the Israel (high taxes) and Rehoboam was fool (high taxes). What’s the difference? Well, is about two different approaches they had.

Do not surround yourself with people who know as much as you do. They can’t take you further than you are now

BUT

Surround yourself with people who know more than you do. They can take you further than you are now.

a new teacher was brought to a golf club, along with the old one. One day, the new teacher joined a rich student to show him some skills. But every time, at every piece of advice, the rich student would interrupt him and tell him his own correction, as he considered it. An hour later, the new teacher stepped aside, and the old teacher joined the rich student. He went about his business and corrected himself. And the old professor just nodded. In the end the student paid and left. The young teacher asked the old man: what happened to this student? And why didn't you tell him anything at all? Boy, I have learned not to sell answers to those who just want to hear echoes.

What kind of people from the older generation (older than ourselves) should we surround ourself in order to make wise decisions: 1 Kings 4:1

Teachers. Azaria, the son of Zadok. Azaria was HighPriest. He knew the law of God. And, even more, he did intercession for the people. You need teachers and intercessors. Scribes. These are people who put the things together in their books. People who know your life and can tell you the proper timeline. These are people who can advice you about how the things change in the world. Your mom and dad. Counselors. You need to be surrounded by men of courage. As Benaiah.

Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations 2063 Booth Unheeds Doctor’s Advice

Before William Booth became a minister, he conducted religious services in small country places as a lay preacher. And he had the poor in his heart and work, even as a teenager. At seventeen he was made a local preacher in the Methodist church. His superintendent wanted him to become a regular preacher at the age of nineteen. But his doctor advised him against the ministry, telling Booth that his health was so poor that he was totally unfit for the strain of the preacher’s life.

That doctor had no way of knowing that Booth would eventually take on strenuous work among London’s poor, physical labor that would make the life of a Methodist minister seem like a vacation. Nor did the doctor have any way of knowing that Booth would launch an organization of worldwide proportions and that he would live to be eighty-three.

Overseer. You need accountability (a da socoteală)..

Teacher. Scribe. Counselor. Overseer.

What did Rehoboam missed? Solomon did start with prayer for wisdom. Rehoboam did not seek God’s face at all!

What did both Rehoboam and Sollomon missed? The prophet. We do not see any prophet speaking with Solomon. Only one, against Solomon. And also, another one against Rehoboam.

We don’t like prophets. Because they are made of iron. They tell the most shocking truths! (we want echoes…right?)

(You are guilty, David, you are guilty. And you should have died! - Nathan). But, also,

the prophet sees the future through the eyes of God: this weak baby boy who only knows how to sing and to sit with the sheep, he will be the king, and the ancestor of Jesus Christ!

Moses: The Lord will arise up for you a prophet like me. Listen Him well! (Deut. 18:15).

Whoever takes the Son, takes everything:

A story of a rich men who had a huge art gallery and he had a terrific son. And the son would go in the streets and one day he’d be friend of a beggar. And he started to see this beggar regularly and he described his father’s big home, and the paintings and all that his father did in business and his family, and the beggar really liked this young men. But one day this young men stoped coming. Two days, three days and the beggar found out he had very suddenly died. So he went and got himself some paper and some crayons, and he drew a portrait of that young men. And he went to the home of that rich men and gave it to the watchman outside and said “would you please give it to the man, because his son was very good to me. And I’ve drawn his portrait because I hear he has an art gallery in that house”. The watchman looked at it rather amused by it and said “ok, ok” and send him away. But he thought this was quite a gesture. So he waited for the right moment when the rich man was driving out in his car and he said to him “you know, a beggar came here and gave this because he painted this as a portrait of your son”. rich man took it, nothing was heard. Some years go by and the beggar finds out the rich men had passed away and that they will auction his art gallery. He decided to get some nice looking clothes to see if he could squeeze in. He did. And he walked through the hall to see if the boy’s portrait was hanging with all the grand masters. It was there. And the auctioneer came and said: we are going to begin and everybody “yey, yey, good, good”. He said “Except, there was a condition left in the will. The rich man said this portrait of his son is the first one to be auctioned”. And there was a mon on the ground. Nobody bid on it. The beggar put his hand into his pocket, got a few coins and bid what he had. No counteroffer. Gavel pounded. Sold. The beggar goes to pick it up, and as he is walking away, gavel pounds again and the auctioneer says “there was a second condition. In the will is said: whoever bids on the portrait of the son, gets the whole art gallery”.

We need so much different things in this world. We need advice. Counseling. Accountability. But whoever has the the Son, has everything!

How will I do that? Well, is about looking diligently. Look around you and search for this kind of people. You need mentors. Who know more than you know. Ask. Call.