where there is no guidance, a people falls,
but in an abundance of counselors there is safety.
– [proverbs 11:14]
we are better together
‘i believe in God, but I don’t believe in church.’
we have all heard this, or something like it. in a culture where we are encouraged to fend for ourselves, and where some churches (sadly) cause as much hurt as healing, many have chosen to go it alone in regard to their faith.
yet in this, we miss out on wisdom, we miss out on the blessing of community, and we miss out on our own safety.
the call to surround ourselves with wise counsel calls to mind what happens when we don’t. judges 21:25 tells us, “in those days there was no king in Israel. everyone did what was right in his own eyes”. we learn by reading of that time in biblical history that this way of thinking led away from God, and into horrible decisions that affected the entire nation.
what makes this proverb even more interesting is that it was written by king solomon, a man known for his unparalleled wisdom. if there was anyone wise enough to work things out on his own, it would be solomon. yet even he was keenly aware that the wisest person on earth is prone to mistakes when gone unchecked by ‘an abundance of counselors’.
each of us has a limited view of the world around us. we can only see what we have seen and speak to what we know. we expand our wisdom when we give ear to those who have had different experiences in their faith, and we are blessed when we give and receive advice from those who are older, those who are younger, and those who are not necessarily ‘like us’. believers with varied experiences are designed to join together as a church, form a body, and in doing so we are better for it. God designed us for community, and in a world where community is sorely lacking, this is a benefit of our faith we should not overlook.
~ jason soroski