"Ask The Audience"
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There's only one lifeline left in your quest to win Who Wants To Be A Millionaire. A real head-scratcher comes next, so you decide to ask the audience for help. A poll is taken, and the results are displayed. Will you trust the majority or go with your gut?
"Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few" (Matt. 7:13–14).
This last lifeline is extremely useful, but also very dangerous. Seeking advice from others is a great way to avoid your pitfalls, but be careful who you listen to! As Jesus describes, the path toward eternity is wide and easy for the majority, while only a few are walking carefully through this life.
Beware Of The Majority
Recently an accident on a Colorado road caused hundreds of drivers to look for a detour. Turning to Google Maps, they were directed down a dirt road to avoid the traffic jam. It turns out, it had rained earlier in the week, and soon over a hundred vehicles were stuck in the mud! Drivers later said they continued to follow the route since everyone else was too. When everyone seems to agree on what's right; exercising a healthy amount of skepticism and caution is a good idea. As the popular parently adage goes, if everyone else jumped off a bridge, would you jump off too?
Consider The Source
Where are you getting your advice? Rehoboam, the new king of Israel, took counsel from some older men about how he should treat the people (1 Kings 12:6-11). Their advice — be kind to them. Then he went and asked the younger men who recommended he oppress and discipline them more than ever before. When the king chose to listen to the young men, it resulted in rebellion — fracturing the kingdom forever. Usually, with age comes maturity and experience, which is why Paul encourages the older to instruct the younger toward sound doctrine (Titus 2:1-7). Do you lean on the wisdom of those who've been through it before? Or are you looking for counsel from immature advisors?
A Second Opinion
As we walk together down that narrow road toward life, we benefit from the wisdom of all our collective experiences. You don't have just one or two people to help — you have the entire body of Christ at your disposal. And that will surely set us up for success, as Solomon said, "Without counsel plans fail, but with many advisers, they succeed" (Prov. 15:22). Remember this isn't a one-way street either. Reach out your hand to help someone as others have helped you.
While we journey to our heavenly home, may we bind together in unity and wisdom to guard ourselves against falling!
