Seek Counsel Humbly.html

The fire crackled in the courtyard, sparks lifting like frightened stars into the cold night. Peter edged closer to its warmth, trying to steady his breathing. Moments earlier, soldiers had led Jesus away — the One he had promised never to abandon. Yet now, surrounded by strangers and suspicion, his courage began to unravel. “You were with him,” a servant girl said, her voice sharp in the still air. The words pierced deeper than he expected. “I do not know the man,” he muttered. Then again. And again. Each denial scraped at his soul until the sound of a rooster split the darkness.

In that instant, Jesus turned and looked at him. One glance — no anger, only sorrow — and Peter remembered. His heart collapsed under the weight of his own certainty. All his bold words, all his promises to stand firm… gone like smoke in the dawn wind. He stumbled out into the quiet streets and wept until his voice was gone. Those tears were not of defeat but of awakening. In that breaking came something holy — a space for humility to enter, where wisdom could finally take root.

Days later, beside the Sea of Galilee, Peter sat among the waves he once walked upon. The morning smelled of charcoal and salt — the same scent that haunted him since the courtyard. Jesus stood on the shore, cooking breakfast. Not a word of accusation passed his lips. Only a question, repeated like waves against the heart: “Do you love me?” Each time, Peter’s answer trembled between guilt and longing. “Lord, you know I love you.” With every confession, the wound closed a little more. The man who had boasted now simply leaned on mercy.

That morning was not about shame. It was about re-commissioning. Jesus did not scold Peter for his collapse; he invited him to shepherd others with the same tenderness he had just received. Strength was no longer the sound of confidence — it was the sound of listening. That is where wisdom begins.

“Presumptuousness leads only to strife, but wisdom belongs to those who seek advice” (Proverbs 13:10). Pride blinds us, making our own reasoning feel sufficient. But when we approach others with a humble spirit — willing to listen rather than defend — we open ourselves to perspective that guards us from costly mistakes. It takes strength, not weakness, to admit we don’t know everything.

“Plans fail when there is no consultation, but there is accomplishment through many advisers” (Proverbs 15:22). The humble person values counsel as part of Jehovah’s arrangement, recognizing that wise advice often comes from those who see what we cannot.

What if the counsel that corrects you today is the safeguard that saves you tomorrow?

What if the humility that feels small now is the soil where faith grows strong again?

The truly wise listen more than they speak.

And when they act, their choices reflect peace — not pride.

He blesses the listening heart.

He blesses the teachable one.