Relying on Counsel


But the men said, "You must not go out; if we are forced to flee, they won't care about us. Even if half of us die, they won't care; but you are worth ten thousand of us. [k] It would be better now for you to give us support from the city."  The king answered, "I will do whatever seems best to you."
So the king stood beside the gate while all the men marched out in units of hundreds and of thousands.
2 Samuel 18:3-4

At this point in David's reign, his authority had been undermined, Absalom hated him and wanted him killed, and David had to flee for his life. He was at the mercy of a few good men. Throughout David's life he had good men around him counseling him, giving him valuable advice on what to do. These were men that David could trust. David even trusted Aphithophel, who later betrayed him.

Having good friends around is helpful when you're in trouble. It has been said that it's better to have friends before you need them. David did that well. So when he was running for his life, his friends were around to help him to think straight. Later we'll see that Joab spoke truth into David's life and questioned why he was weeping over a man who was out to kill him! That's the kind of friendship that most people truly value (despite the temporary heartache it could cause).

Who are you surrounded by? Can you trust those people with your life? Are you also a trusted friend to others so that when they can lean on you in their times of darkness and uncertainty? If these are not real situations for you, pray that God would provide you with these people.


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