The Joy of Good counsel

Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart, and the pleasantness of a friend springs from their heartfelt counsel. - Proverbs 27:9

As we all know, good friends give good advice. Typically not too much of it! But in the end, we really need their perspective on raising children or changing careers or balancing our fight for justice with our need for self-care.

Most of us, however, have a strong preference to hear advice only when we’re asking for it. Unsolicited advice tends to be a hallmark of bad friends, not good ones. There’s a great moment about this in the story of Job in the Bible. He ends up calling his friends “worthless counselors” because they show up and tell him all the ways he deserved having his world fall apart. (see Job 13:4).

When do you find yourself tempted to give advice? When do you find yourself tempted not to ask for advice? what might it look like to be someone who brings “joy to the heat” of your friends today?