A good adviser does three things: they observe, instruct, and motivate. At first, the thought of having someone evaluating us might be intimidating. But people are going to be watching and evaluating us anyway, so why not have a good, trusted adviser among the crowd? Here are some areas where it’s worth inviting an adviser to see how we’re getting on: spiritual development, personal discipline, family relationships, decision making, handling money, conflict resolution, friendships, breaking bad habits and establishing good ones, goal setting, and planning for the future. If we really want to succeed and grow in what we’re doing, we need to look for an environment where we’ll be mentored. Think about it like this: in paid work, initially what we learn is more important than what we earn, because what we learn early has an impact on what we earn later. If we’re not prepared to learn, we’ll never be as good as we could be. And we shouldn’t let it stop there. We can pass on the knowledge and advice we’ve been given to somebody else. Jesus said, ‘Freely you have received, freely give’ (Matthew 10:8 NIV). We might think, ‘I’m too young, nobody is going to take me seriously.’ But Paul told Timothy, ‘Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example’ (1 Timothy 4:12 NIV). We’re not responsible for knowing everything; we’re just responsible for sharing what we know with others. And as we pour into them what God and others have poured into us, they’ll go further and faster too! So, first, ask God for a good adviser, and then become one to somebody else.
