Listen To Wise Counsel

Acts 5:33-40

The religious leaders of the day were very upset at the disciples and disturbed at their teaching. These leaders were ready to put the disciples to death. One of the elder men in the group, a Pharisee named Gamaliel, stood up and gave them different advice. He shared with them that if what the apostles were teaching was of men, it would be overthrown and cited some examples of the past. However, if the teaching was from God, man would not be able to overthrow it.

Gamaliel was known as a very wise teacher of the law. In fact Paul had been one of his disciples before his conversion. He was highly regarded in rabbinic tradition and given the highest possible title for Jewish teachers. We notice in v. 40 that the religious leaders, both Sadducees and Pharisees, took his advice.

It is wise to listen to good counsel whether it is of a spiritual or of a material nature. I encourage you to develop relationships with wise men and women that can be of benefit to you and pay attention to their counsel in your life. God has brought several wise men into my life and I believe I have benefited greatly from them. Some of them have been very helpful to me in my spiritual life and others have provided good counsel regarding my career, work habits, etc.

I believe God has placed both Godly and worldly men in my life who have given me good counsel. The one thing I needed to do was to check their counsel against the word of God. If it was good and not contrary to the Bible then I used it effectively in my life. Gamaliel was most likely not a Christian, yet his advice to these men was good.

Another thing we can learn from this passage is that the crowd is not always right. People are easily influenced and this group of religious leaders was being led the wrong way until Gamaliel stood up and challenged them. Often the counsel we may receive may not go along with what the majority are thinking. We need the courage to stand alone and be different if that is the way God is leading.

I pray that you would take advantage of the wise counselors God puts in your life.