“Oil and perfume make the heart glad, and the sweetness of a friend comes from his earnest counsel.” (Proverbs 27:9)
Sometimes you need to take an important decision, but you are not sure which option would be the best. You are lying awake over it and fretting about it. In such cases, it is helpful to get advice from others. “Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety.” (Proverbs 11:14) But you should be careful as to of whom you ask advice. You can only trust someone’s counsel if you know that person well, and if you are convinced of his wisdom and sincerity. And in order to give good counsel, he needs to know you as well! It might be pleasant to just hear flattering words, but in the end “earnest counsel” is far more helpful. “It is better for a man to hear the rebuke of the wise than to hear the song of fools.” (Ecclesiastes 7:5) Therefore, it is very valuable to have a good and trusted friend of whom you can ask counsel.
Are you such a friend to others?