有被聽從的忠告才是好忠告
2025年8月18日By Robert J. Tamasy
有被聽從的忠告才是好忠告
ADVICE IS ONLY GOOD WHEN IT IS HEEDED
忠告就像藥物，通常只有按照指示服用才能發揮效果。在當今高度複雜的商業和專業世界裡，我們不可能完全理解，所有影響關鍵決策的眾多因素。因此，向能夠提供寶貴洞見的人尋求建議，是明智之舉。
然而，許多人傾向於，只向會認同並支持他們原有計劃的人尋求忠告。這可能會帶來問題，甚至導致災難。箴言12章15節，精闢地描述了樂於接受忠告的人，以及與此相反的人：「愚妄人所行的，在自己眼中看為正直；惟智慧人肯聽人的勸教。」箴言的另一節經文則指出，接受並且採納好忠告，是智慧的表現：「你要聽勸教，受訓誨，使你終久有智慧。」(箴19:20)
在聖經的舊約中，我們看見摩西努力為數以萬計，從埃及被奴役中得自由的以色列人，提供適當的領導。如同任何社會，這些人也開始陷入了意見不合和爭執之中。摩西覺得自己有責任要解決這些衝突。每天他都「……坐着審判百姓，百姓從早到晚都站在摩西的左右」(出18:13)。你能想像摩西從清晨到深夜，試圖對數百件事情做出判決，所承受的壓力嗎？
摩西有智慧的岳父葉忒羅看出了問題。「摩西的岳父看見他向百姓所做的一切事，就說：『你向百姓做的是甚麼事呢？你為甚麼獨自坐着，眾百姓從早到晚都站在你的左右呢？』……『你這做的不好。你和這些百姓必都疲憊；因為這事太重，你獨自一人辦理不了。』」(出18:14-18)
葉忒羅建議將大部分的職責委派給「……敬畏神、誠實無妄、恨不義之財的人……叫他們隨時審判百姓，大事都要呈到你這裏，小事他們自己可以審判……」(出18:21-22)。摩西聽從了岳父充滿洞察力的忠告，替大家省去了許多麻煩。
與此形成對比的是羅波安，他繼承了父親所羅門成為以色列王。箴言11章14節說：「無智謀，民就敗落；謀士多，人便安居。」然而，這位年輕的君王顯然無法分辨，明智和愚昧的建議。羅波安首先諮詢了，曾經服事他父親所羅門的以色列長老們。百姓要求他「使(你父親要)我們做的苦工、負的重軛輕鬆些」，長老們就力勸他要依從百姓的意思。「現在王若服事這民如僕人……他們就永遠作王的僕人。」(王上12:4-7)。
然而，驕傲使羅波安拒絕了這項忠告，轉而諮詢與他一同長大的年輕人。這些人建議：「王要對他們如此說：『……我父親使你們負重軛，我必使你們負更重的軛……』」(王上12:8-11)羅波安聽從了他們的建議，結果導致嚴重的分裂。除了以色列中較小的支派猶大以外，其他所有支派都背棄他，選擇了另一位國王。因此，羅波安的統治從一開始就註定了失敗。
生病時，按照醫囑服藥能夠幫助我們恢復健康。建立與維持健康的領導力時，聽取明智的忠告也能發揮「良藥」的作用。
© 2025。 Robert J. Tamasy 著有《職場大使：CBMC福音與門徒訓練使命的延續》、《卓越商道：現代職場中的箴言智慧》、與 Ken Johnson 合著的《以牧者心志追求人生》，以及與 David A. Stoddard 合著的《導師之心》。Bob 的雙週部落格為：www.bobtamasy.blogspot.com。
反省與問題討論
第一、當他人提出忠告時，你的接受度如何呢？當面臨困難抉擇時，你是否會積極尋求建議和明智的忠告呢？請解釋你的答案。
第二、你覺得為什麼有些人不願意徵求或接受忠告呢？有哪些因素會導致一些人，拒絕明智 的忠告呢？
第三、如何辨別忠告是明智且構思周全，如同摩西與葉忒羅的例子，還是愚昧，如同羅波安選擇聽信年輕朋友，而非以色列長老的例子呢？
第四、你能想到任何例子，無論是你自己的經歷，還是觀察到他人的經歷，當忠告被忽視或拒絕時，最終導致了非常負面的後果嗎？其中涉及了哪些因素呢？
挑戰思考
你目前正在面對哪些挑戰或決策，是你願意向信任的朋友、導師、同事，或是比你目前擁有更多專業知識的人中，尋求建議和明智的忠告而受益呢？請檢視你對於接受善意忠告的開放程度。如果你發現自己對於請求或接受明智忠告，特別是基於聖經教導的建議，感到猶豫或不情願，請為此禱告。向他人傾訴或許會有所幫助。
備註：如果你有聖經，想閱讀更多相關的內容，請參考以下的經文 :
詩篇119篇9-11節
119:9 少年人用甚麼潔淨他的行為呢？是要遵行你的話！
119:10 我一心尋求了你；求你不要叫我偏離你的命令。
119:11 我將你的話藏在心裏，免得我得罪你。
箴言2章1-8節
2:1 我兒，你若領受我的言語，存記我的命令，
2:2 側耳聽智慧，專心求聰明，
2:3 呼求明哲，揚聲求聰明，
2:4 尋找它，如尋找銀子，搜求它，如搜求隱藏的珍寶，
2:5 你就明白敬畏耶和華，得以認識神。
2:6 因為，耶和華賜人智慧；知識和聰明都由他口而出。
2:7 他給正直人存留真智慧，給行為純正的人作盾牌，
2:8 為要保守公平人的路，護庇虔敬人的道。
箴言12章5節
12:5 義人的思念是公平；惡人的計謀是詭詐。
箴言15章22節
15:22 不先商議，所謀無效；謀士眾多，所謀乃成。
箴言19章27節
19:27 我兒，不可聽了教訓而又偏離知識的言語。
箴言20章18節
20:18 計謀都憑籌算立定；打仗要憑智謀。
箴言24章5-6節
24:5 智慧人大有能力；有知識的人力上加力。
24:6 你去打仗，要憑智謀；謀士眾多，人便得勝。
箴言27章9節
27:9 膏油與香料使人心喜悅；朋友誠實的勸教也是如此甘美。
| 下載 |
ADVICE IS ONLY GOOD WHEN IT IS HEEDED
MONDAY MANNAAug 18, 2025
ADVICE IS ONLY GOOD WHEN IT IS HEEDED
By Robert J. Tamasy
Advice is like medicine. It usually only works when taken as directed. In today’s very complex business and professional world, it is impossible to understand all the many factors that affect key decisions. There is wisdom, therefore, in seeking counsel from individuals who can provide valuable insight.
Many people, however, are inclined to seek advice only from people who will agree with and support what they already intend to do. This can be problematic, even disastrous. Proverbs 12:15 concisely describes people who are receptive to sound advice, along with those who are not: “The way of a fool seems right to him, but a wise man listens to advice.” Another verse from Proverbs cites the wisdom of receiving and acting upon good advice when it is offered. “Listen to advice and accept instruction, and in the end you will be wise” (Proverbs 19:20).
In the Bible’s Old Testament, we see Moses striving to provide proper leadership to the many thousands of Israelites freed from captivity in Egypt. As with any society, these people were becoming entangled in disagreements and disputes. Moses felt responsible for resolving these conflicts. Every day he “took his seat to serve as judge for the people and they stood around him from morning till evening” (Exodus 18:13). Can you imagine the pressure Moses was under trying to pass judgment over hundreds of matters from the early morning hours until the late evening?
His wise father-in-law, Jethro, recognized the problem. “When his father-in-law saw all that Moses was doing for the people, he said, ‘What is this you are doing for the people? Why do you alone sit as judge, while all these people stand around you from morning till evening?... What you are doing is not good. You and these people who come to you will only wear yourselves out. The work is too heavy for you; you cannot handle it alone’” (Exodus 18:14-18).
Jethro suggested delegating most of those responsibilities to “men who fear God, trustworthy men who hate dishonest gain…. Have them serve as judges for the people at all times, but have them bring every difficult case to you; the simple cases they can decide themselves” (Exodus 18:21-22). Moses listened to his father-in-law’s insightful advice and saved everyone a lot of headaches.
Contrast this with Rehoboam, who had succeeded his father Solomon as king of Israel. Proverbs 11:14 says, “For lack of guidance a nation falls, but many advisers make victory sure.” However, the young king apparently could not discern between wise and foolish counsel. Rehoboam first consulted with the elders of Israel who had served Solomon. The people had asked him to “lighten the harsh labor and heavy yoke [your father] put on us,” and the elders urged him to comply. “If today you will be a servant to these people and serve them…they will always be your servants” (1 Kings 12:4-7).
Pride, however, caused Rehoboam to reject this advice and consult with young men who had grown up with him. They advised, “Tell these people…’My father laid on you a heavy yoke. I will make it even heavier…” (1 Kings 12:8-11). He followed their advice instead, and a great division resulted. All but the small Israelite tribe of Judah rejected him and chose a different king. As a result, Rehoboam’s reign was doomed from the start.
When we are ill, taking medicine as prescribed can help to restore health. To build and maintain healthy leadership, listening to wise counsel can also serve as ‘good medicine.’
© 2025. Robert J. Tamasy has written Marketplace Ambassadors: CBMC’s Continuing Legacy of Evangelism and Discipleship; Business at Its Best: Timeless Wisdom from Proverbs for Today’s Workplace; Pursuing Life With a Shepherd’s Heart, coauthored with Ken Johnson; and The Heart of Mentoring, coauthored with David A. Stoddard. Bob’s biweekly blog is: www.bobtamasy.blogspot.com.
Reflection/Discussion Questions
1. How receptive are you to receiving advice when it is offered? Do you actively seek advice and wise counsel when faced with a difficult decision? Explain your answer.
2. Why do you think some people are reluctant to solicit or accept advice? What factors are involved that cause some to reject wise counsel?
3. What are some ways of identifying whether advice is wise and well-conceived, as was the case with Moses and Jethro, or foolish, as was the situation when Rehoboam chose to listen to the advice of his young friends over the elders of Israel?
4. Can you think of any examples – that you have experienced yourself or observed with others – when advice was ignored or rejected resulting in very negative consequences? What factors were involved?
Challenge for This Week
What challenge or decision are you dealing with right now that might benefit from your being willing to seek advice and wise counsel from trusted friends, a mentor, a colleague, or someone with greater expertise than you presently possess?
Examine your openness to receiving well-intended advice. If you find that you are hesitant or reluctant to ask for or receive sound counsel, especially that which is based on teachings in the Bible, pray about this. It might help to confide with someone else.
NOTE:
If you have a Bible and would like to read more, consider the following passages:
Psalm 119:9-11; Proverbs 2:1-8, 12:5, 15:22; 19:27; 20:18, 24:5-6, 27:9
| Download |