00:00:14
Today started out well.00:00:17
00:00:24
But after the meeting tonight, 00:00:26
00:00:26
my feelings were hurt.00:00:29
00:00:37
Earlier in the week, we invited
some friends over to watch a movie.00:00:40
00:00:40
And apparently, 00:00:42
00:00:42
this new young elder heard about it, 00:00:45
00:00:46
so he counseled me about it
after the meeting, 00:00:48
00:00:48
saying that I should give
my movie choices 00:00:51
00:00:51
some thought.00:00:53
00:00:53
I just didn’t like
the way he gave the counsel. 00:00:56
00:00:56
He’s only 27. 00:00:58
00:00:58
That’s too young.00:01:01
00:01:05
The next day,
we had plans to go out in the ministry 00:01:09
00:01:09
with Brother Kang and his wife.00:01:12
00:01:12
But the motivation 00:01:14
00:01:14
just wasn’t there.00:01:17
00:01:28
I asked to speak
with Brother Kang alone. 00:01:31
00:01:31
I told him what happened 00:01:33
00:01:33
and how we didn’t feel
the counsel applied to us.00:01:37
00:01:37
I can understand
how you might feel. 00:01:39
00:01:39
But, Byong Soo, 00:01:41
00:01:41
be absolutely honest with me. 00:01:43
00:01:43
Do you feel there is no valid reason
for that counsel?00:01:48
00:01:48
Mm. 00:01:51
00:01:57
Well, maybe there were some scenes 00:01:59
00:01:59
that could have been less violent. 00:02:01
00:02:01
But the way he gave the counsel00:02:04
00:02:04
—he didn’t even ask how we felt.00:02:06
00:02:06
Byong Soo, what is the only way 00:02:09
00:02:09
for us to receive perfect counsel?00:02:11
00:02:11
From a perfect man.00:02:13
00:02:13
That’s right. 00:02:15
00:02:15
And is Jesus here on the earth today?00:02:19
00:02:19
He was right. 00:02:22
00:02:22
Counsel can only be perfect 00:02:24
00:02:24
if it’s given from a perfect person.00:02:27
00:02:28
Still, this counsel
about our movie choices 00:02:32
00:02:32
would have been so much easier 00:02:34
00:02:34
if it came from someone older
and more experienced, 00:02:38
00:02:38
like Brother Kang.00:02:41
00:02:42
Well, he must have sensed
what I was thinking 00:02:45
00:02:45
because he helped me to remember 00:02:48
00:02:48
something from the Bible.00:02:51
00:02:52
When Job underwent severe trials, 00:02:55
00:02:55
it was the younger Elihu who helped Job 00:02:58
00:02:58
adjust his thinking correctly.00:03:01
00:03:02
It required humility on Job’s part 00:03:05
00:03:05
to listen to someone younger
and less experienced.00:03:10
00:03:12
He then read Proverbs 19:20: 00:03:14
00:03:14
“Listen to counsel and accept discipline, 00:03:19
00:03:19
in order to become wise in your future.”00:03:24
00:03:24
The point was clear: 00:03:26
00:03:26
Keep our focus on the counsel, 00:03:29
00:03:29
not the counselor.00:03:32
00:03:45
I later shared
Brother Kang’s comments with my wife. 00:03:49
00:03:50
We both realized that we should welcome 00:03:53
00:03:53
all counsel from Jehovah. 00:03:55
00:03:55
It’s for our good.00:03:57
00:04:18
I’m sure it took courage 00:04:20
00:04:20
for that young elder
to approach me about the matter. 00:04:24
00:04:25
But I’m so glad he did because, 00:04:28
00:04:28
in the end, his counsel 00:04:30
00:04:30
was just another example 00:04:33
00:04:33
of God’s love.00:04:49
Become Wise by Listening to Counsel
-
Become Wise by Listening to Counsel
Today started out well.
But after the meeting tonight,
my feelings were hurt.
Earlier in the week, we invited
some friends over to watch a movie.
And apparently,
this new young elder heard about it,
so he counseled me about it
after the meeting,
saying that I should give
my movie choices
some thought.
I just didn’t like
the way he gave the counsel.
He’s only 27.
That’s too young.
The next day,
we had plans to go out in the ministry
with Brother Kang and his wife.
But the motivation
just wasn’t there.
I asked to speak
with Brother Kang alone.
I told him what happened
and how we didn’t feel
the counsel applied to us.
I can understand
how you might feel.
But, Byong Soo,
be absolutely honest with me.
Do you feel there is no valid reason
for that counsel?
Mm.
Well, maybe there were some scenes
that could have been less violent.
But the way he gave the counsel
—he didn’t even ask how we felt.
Byong Soo, what is the only way
for us to receive perfect counsel?
From a perfect man.
That’s right.
And is Jesus here on the earth today?
He was right.
Counsel can only be perfect
if it’s given from a perfect person.
Still, this counsel
about our movie choices
would have been so much easier
if it came from someone older
and more experienced,
like Brother Kang.
Well, he must have sensed
what I was thinking
because he helped me to remember
something from the Bible.
When Job underwent severe trials,
it was the younger Elihu who helped Job
adjust his thinking correctly.
It required humility on Job’s part
to listen to someone younger
and less experienced.
He then read Proverbs 19:20:
“Listen to counsel and accept discipline,
in order to become wise in your future.”
The point was clear:
Keep our focus on the counsel,
not the counselor.
I later shared
Brother Kang’s comments with my wife.
We both realized that we should welcome
all counsel from Jehovah.
It’s for our good.
I’m sure it took courage
for that young elder
to approach me about the matter.
But I’m so glad he did because,
in the end, his counsel
was just another example
of God’s love.
-