Read the transcript from today's video devotional.
As kids, we had this saying—and you've probably heard it too—that opinions are like armpits: everybody's got them and they all stink. It was funny at the time because it was essentially a way to tell somebody that you weren't going to listen to what they had to say. But I was thinking about that recently, and it got me wondering—who are the people whose opinions I trust the most? When life gets hard, when I need advice, when I'm not sure what to do next, who are the people I can go to with confidence? The Bible has so much to say on the importance of having people whose words you can trust. We're looking at one of those verses today.
It comes from Proverbs chapter 27, verse 9. "The heartfelt counsel of a friend is as sweet as perfume and incense."
Words You Can Trust
This verse is such a beautiful reminder of words that we can trust. What a great image—as sweet as perfume and incense. These words come from people who honestly probably know us better than we know ourselves. Whether we're confused, struggling, or questioning our choices, these are the people that when we bring our problems to them and say, hey, can I get your thoughts on this? They're going to be the first ones to have our best interests in mind. They're going to be the ones who point our attention back to God to see what He's doing. They're going to be the ones who say it like it is, even if it goes against what we're thinking or feeling. They're the ones who love us enough to say what needs to be said. That's more important than platitudes or just making us feel better about our lives.
A Story from My Own Life
I'll give you an example of how this came into play in a really meaningful way in my life. In my 20s, I was the associate and worship pastor at a church plant, and it came at a really inconvenient time in life. The transition was messy, to say the least. I won't get into details, but there was some hurt, some betrayals, some things that were said that weren't true. It made stepping into this church plant a not-so-enjoyable experience to begin with. On top of that, it was just a risky endeavor—having to support my family while also being a part of something that may or may not be sustainable.
I will be honest—I gave it my all. We served this church with all of the giftings, all of the passion, all of the love that we could possibly pour out. But in the end, we genuinely felt like God was calling us out of this environment so that other people could step in and we could find the work that He did want us to be a part of. In the midst of navigating this, as we were getting ready to leave, I remember one person in particular who reached out to us. We had known them through Sunday services and some of the ministries, but I wouldn't call them a close friend. They essentially asked us, do you think that maybe you're just not sticking around because you don't have enough faith to see what God's going to do here?
That shook me to my core. Because I had spent hours in prayer. God, do you want me to stay here? I had spent nights weeping after my wife went to bed, pregnant with our daughter, going, Lord, I have a baby on the way and a wife who's here and I don't know how we're going to pay rent next month. I had struggled over and over to feel like I had heard the voice of God. When this was posed at me, I went, oh no—maybe I don't have enough faith.
Heartfelt Counsel in Action
By the grace of God, I went to my closest friends—ones that I knew I could trust their words. They assured me that leaving didn't mean that I was lacking faith, that God didn't need us to do something great at this church plant, that we weren't going to be the ones that saved anybody. By stepping out, we were making room for people that God wanted to put into positions of leadership to serve the body. It was just such a wonderful moment.
These words from Proverbs ring true in my ears as I think back to that time—that their heartfelt counsel was as sweet as perfume and incense. Not because it was what I wanted to hear, but because it was a reminder that I had heard from God. And they were going to be faithful to tell me whether or not they believed I had heard from God, or if they thought there was something more to explore.
Build Those Relationships
I want to encourage you to find relationships that you can build—to develop some of that vulnerability, to share your true self—so that when you do have times where you need counsel or advice, the words that they have to share with you will be as sweet as perfume and incense.