Though not all counsel received will be wise counsel, it is still wise to receive counsel. A foolish man neglects to consider the need for counsel. He believes his own understanding sufficient (Proverbs 12:15). A wise man, however, not only seeks counsel, but hearkens to the wisdom found in such. The Bible says that the absence of counsel causes people to fall (Proverbs 11:14) and purposes to be disappointed (Proverbs 15:22; Proverbs 20:18), and that only a fool would go to war without it (Proverbs 24:6). Not only does counsel help to develop godly plans, but also ensures that our motives are pure. Counsel provides safety on a variety of levels (Proverbs 11:14; Proverbs 24:6).
People base decisions on different things: some make choices based on their feelings, others by chance or counsel, and some by knowledge. A prudent man does not trust his feelings for making the right choices lest he be led astray. He does not believe in chance and verifies counsel before choosing his direction. When he decides, he only trusts one foundation; and that is knowledge that comes from God. His certainty for decisions only comes from facts that he can verify. Proverbs has much to say about the association of knowledge and prudence. “A prudent man concealeth knowledge”(Proverbs 12:23); “the prudent are crowned with knowledge” (Proverbs 14:18); “The heart of the prudent getteth knowledge” (Proverbs 18:15). A prudent man demands knowledge and seeks after it with his whole heart. By doing so, he avoids the terrible fate of the fools and the simple.
