Pesky Unrequested Advice

The world is full of generous givers… of advice. People love giving advice, think they know better, are urged at a mindbogglingly skilled level to guide, instruct, inform, enlighten… on things we sometimes know little about. But often—oh, so very often—on things we have been guided, instructed, informed, enlightened already a bunch of times.
 
Everybody thinks they can live everybody else’s lives better. At least, the world is full of know-it-alls, and, by golly, I must exude the appearance of “I don’t know much and desperately need help navigating every single step or thought, because I’m a novice I am…” Since I get a good dose of advice. I’m not shy of asking for advice when I need it, but people offer—boy, do they offer—on roads I’ve already been down and back (I don’t know how I’ve made it these past 50+ years). I sometimes wonder if this is partly what the scripture means by being cunning as serpents, yet innocent as doves (Matthew 10:16).
 
Maybe we know what we know but keep it to ourselves until we really need the knowledge to come out in a given situation. Otherwise, what’s the point? Maybe we become givers of allowing other people to bestow their advice we’re already well-versed in, and we smile and nod and have the attitude of “Thanks for that information; I appreciate your gift of giving and helpfulness”. Instead of becoming another know-it-all, allow them to have it, the moment; not by a condescending thought or acceptance, but in a true loving spirit.
 
As a seeker, I ask for advice, especially as it pertains to spirituality or what God might have for insight into a particular situation. But it just struck me—not the first, and probably not the last time—how much people enjoy telling other people what to do. Do you ever get that? Being told what to do and how to do it? Or maybe it really is just me that needs all that information and assistance because how I do seems to beg being told how to do better. Still… when I gave a certain situation more than five minutes’ thought, because it felt assuming, and it irritated or rubbed me the wrong way, I realized it had the potential to become a grudge—and I don’t want grudges. I want to be free of anything that steals my focus from God above in the moment—or ever. So God above, please help me to release, forgive, and bless that person who is getting under my skin just now.
 
Then I realized that this little-thing irritation was really part of a larger grievance system that stacked up. I have held grudges. And I started to see an ugly prism of having a grudge against God for not delivering or doing what He’d said he’d do when I thought it would already have happened by now. Scripture tells us that God fulfills his promises; however, just raise your hand if you’re somebody who loves waiting a super long time on stuff.
 
Then I considered these other grudges I picked up by having to succumb to a consistently generous giver or two of advice I wasn’t asking for because, apparently, I seem to be, or look, lost. I came to the point of asking: Do I have unforgiveness towards others for their actions and/or barrage of unrequested advice? Do I have an unloving spirit by being angry at myself for not handling things, or others, better—including how I perceive and/or receive God’s instruction? And yes, God speaks through other people for edification and guidance and advice… but that’s not what I’m talking about. I’m talking about the stupid day-to-day stuff. I still can get advice or an opinion on paths or topics on which I’ve been a veteran. Oh well.
 
OH WELL! Instead of allowing it to irritate me, how about I smile, nod, and keep my mouth shut like I often do? But then how about I also actually mentally let it go, and love unconditionally? Why do I have the need to prove myself, or to set anybody straight? What does it matter? God knows. Just love people, no matter what. God sees. That’s all that matters.
 
For those who don’t care to plug their ears and singsong "la-la-la, I can't hear you", here's my advice: Shallow or deep, hold no grudges, but only forgiveness and acceptance in a loving and humble spirit.
 
Clear as mud? I feel incoming writing advice is imminent here… Okay, maybe I asked for that one.
 
One humility, two humility, three humility, four. What’s it going to take to learn when and what for?
 
~Hebrews 12:11: “For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.” (ESV)

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