Take my advice

Plans go wrong for lack of advice; many advisers bring success.
                                                         —Proverbs 15:22

I’ll never forget the day in 1996 when I made a lifelong friend.

My best friend and I were building our intramural basketball team at a top-ranked university where the competition involved Division 1 athletes. We did not want to be embarrassed, so we looked intently for the best talent. The reality was that most of the good players were already committed to the other 63 teams, and we were relegated to finding free agents.

One student named Steph (no, not Steph Curry) responded to our search for players and shared that he played point guard. I asked him, “Steph, how tall are you?” He replied, “I’m five-ten.” We responded that we had enough guards, were looking for taller players, and were not really in the market for players who were 5’10.” As I was in midsentence, espousing our farewells, and about to hang up the phone to call the next name on the list, Steph made one last attempt to make our team. He exclaimed in a last-gasp effort, “I’m white, five-ten, and I can dunk!” We laughed out loud as Steph told us that he was serious.

With some hope of finding an athletic player, my best friend scheduled an instant meeting at the gym to test his proclamation. We gave him the ball, and Steph demonstrated his ability to defy gravity as we witnessed what Wesley Snipes and Woody Harrelson shared cinematically with the world in 1992. Steph promised he could make our team better. My best friend and I nodded our heads in agreement. I welcomed Steph to the team, and we had a new point guard.

Reflecting on that moment, I recall my prejudgments being so strong. I didn’t believe that this guy on the phone could help our cause. I didn’t think we needed a shorter player. I even felt I was influencing my best friend to dismiss this free agent from consideration as a team member. If my prejudgments had their way, we never would have had a skilled point guard. We never would have made the elite eight of the tournament. We never would have experienced success as a team. And I never would have made such a great friend. My lack of insight almost caused me and our team to miss out on success and a positive relationship.

I’m grateful for the counsel of Steph and my best friend. Hearing their voice and witnessing the possibilities allowed me to move beyond my prejudgments and see the potential that lay before us. They helped me see from multiple angles to progress toward success together.

Hear the wise proverb today: "Plans go wrong for lack of advice; many advisers bring success.”

Please think of the many missed opportunities we can trace because we make hasty decisions and neglect to listen to those around us. Perhaps we may be doing more than not listening to others when we shun the counsel of others. Maybe God is trying to tell us that some blessings of success are reserved for those open to sharing wise counsel authentically and honestly in transparent spaces. Yes, even if it must come out in ways we don’t expect.

Notice that advice and counsel only sometimes need to come from those already on the team. Remember when Pharoah listened to God’s interpretation of the dreams through Joseph? God sparked the memory of a former prisoner, the chief cupbearer, who remembered that a young Hebrew was interpreting their dreams in prison. God then moved him to counsel the Pharoah so that his dreams could be interpreted similarly. And through wise counsel, the prisoner then stood before Pharoah discussing a dream classified as a matter of homeland security.

Take time to notice the Godly counsel shared in the earthen vessels around us. Through wisdom transmitted and received, our communities can experience relevant interventions toward health, shelter, nourishment, and security needs. This wisdom that God often presents in packages of humanity is intended for success far more essential than corruptible achievements. It is purposed for tremendous success where we can witness and experience the victory of Christ’s incorruptible mission.

—Carl Ricketts Jr., MDiv, BCC, is director of Chaplain Services for Loma Linda University Medical Center.