I am reading through the Book of Wisdom (Proverbs) in the Bible this month… seeking little “gold nuggets of wisdom” to help me along life’s way. The verse that the Lord led me to today was particularly appropriate for coaches! Since it is “Coaching Clinic Season” I think this verse is a strong reminder of how and where we should go to seek advice and instruction.
The verse is Proverbs 19:20. It says, “Listen to advice and accept instruction, and in the end you will be wise.”
Two thoughts come to mind as I think on what this verse means to me.
First… we need to have a “teachable spirit.” Don’t be a “know-it-all!” I’ve encouraged coaches for years to be “students of the game.” Your quest for knowledge about coaching is critical to your success. Don’t ever stop studying, reading and listening to other coaches share their knowledge.
If you didn’t notice, this verse has a “promise” in it! It promises wisdom but… to be wise, we have to DO something first: have a “teachable spirit.” This is the beautiful thing about biblical principles. Not only do they impact our spiritual lives but these principles can be applied in our secular (coaching) world and they still work!
The second thing that caught my eye as I pondered this verse was something that my Dad reinforced in my mind while growing up. He’d say, “Consider the ‘source.'” He knew that listening to advice is good. However, he was pointing out to me that we need to be careful about who is distributing the advice!!! This is particularly true when it comes to negative comments. It’s also true when someone is spouting advice about your life. It’s interesting how many “know-it-all’s” there ARE out there in the world!!!
For instance, why has our culture promoted movie stars, celebrities and sports stars as being so wise? Like we should be following their example or their advice!!! Come on man! Most of them don’t even have a college education. Their world view is so skewed by their wealth and fame that most of them have no idea how to cope in the real world that you and I have to deal with each day.
As a Christian, the first person I’m going to turn to when I need advice is God’s Holy Spirit— through prayer. Then, if I need instruction, I’m looking in God’s Word. I have a few close friends/mentors who I call on when I need to “talk things out”… but I’m certainly not listening to any “source” until I first check out their character and background.
So… listen to advice. Seek instruction. But… choose wisely, my friend!!!
