We’ve all had that moment when we received advice we were reluctant to accept and act on. Sometimes, it’s bad advice. However, often, it can be great counsel we’re just bent on rejecting. Rehoboam had that moment, and he picked unwisely. Early in his reign, he had a decision to make, and he consulted two groups. One were his elders; the other, his peers. The elders told him to go left, his peers said right. “But Rehoboam rejected the advice the elders gave him and consulted the young men who had grown up with him and were serving him.” (‭‭2 Chronicles‬ ‭10‬). Notice the red flag: his peers who were serving him. Not exactly mature or unbiased advice. As for Rehoboam’s future, “there was continual warfare between him and Jeroboam.” (2 Chr 12:15) He never found peace in his reign. And, those elders weren’t only wise because they were old. We’ve all run into some old men who are foolish. Yet, these elders “stood before Solomon his father while he was yet alive.” (2 Chron 10:6) They weren’t just aged. They’d walked with one of the wisest minds ever (1 Kings 4:29-34). I’ve benefitted greatly from wise mentors. I want my life to be marked by a constant drive to seek godly counsel. Let’s model this and teach our kids to build that muscle of finding wiser minds and heeding their advice.

Top 10 encouraging scriptures for men: Imagine a valuable gift that never gets used. In some ways, that’s how many men treat the Bible. God didn’t give you His Word to sit on a shelf or to carry to church on Sundays. He provided it as a daily encouragement for the struggles of life. If you’re wondering where to turn next, we’ve identified 10 encouraging verses for men that just might point you in the right direction.

Proverbs 16: Living with integrity across the board: Despite what the culture might suggest, integrity is not something you can simply turn on and off like a light switch. As a man of God, if you’re going to have integrity in any part of your life, you’ve got to live with integrity in every part of your life. What’s more, the example you set as a husband and father becomes the legacy you leave for future generations. As we continue our study of Proverbs 16, we’ll talk about how to embrace a lifestyle defined by integrity—and the impact it can have on the world around us.

“Foolishness is more than being stupid, that deadly combination of arrogance and ignorance.” – Paul David Tripp

“He that gives good advice, builds with one hand; he that gives good counsel and example, builds with both; but he that gives good admonition and bad example, builds with one hand and pulls down with the other.” – Sir Francis Bacon

“No enemy is worse than bad advice.” – Sophocles

Get counsel. From whom do you take counsel? Do you have some wiser minds trying desperately to speak into your life, but you’re bent on rejecting their input? Do you realize what signal that sends to your children? Ever wondered why they don’t take your advice? Could it be, perhaps, because they’re seeing us model that? Get after it, dad! Find some wiser minds and seek their counsel.

Kent Evans
Author of The Manhood Journey, co-founder of Manhood Journey and Father On Purpose.

P.S. Was this Mountain Monday helpful? Tell me if you love it, hate it, or if there’s something you’d like in the next one.

Forward this to a dad you know who needs some encouragement.