Who are you talking to?

At the grocery story,  I saw a woman carrying on a full blown one-sided conversation with a box of cereal.   As I watched from a safe distance, her conversation became animated and one hand began gesturing.

From my place of safety about half a row behind her, I wondered if I should proceed with caution or backup-on-outa there.

I waited for a few seconds and then decided to push my cart forward, as far as I could around her, passing on the left.  I glanced back over my shoulder as the woman continued her one sided conversation.

She seemed so absorbed with the cereal box that I thought I was totally oblivious to her.

Then, ever so slightly, the woman turned her head and pointed at her ear.

That's when I realized I was a gawker, and she was on a bluetooth ear piece talking to someone on the phone.

Well, that was embarrassing!  Yet, it did cause me to ask this question...

Whose voice are you listening too and whose counsel are you taking?

In the Bible, Psalm 1 is an excellent chapter to put to memory.  It gives us a step by step warning about the slow progression into bad counsel.  First you walk, then stand, then sit and once you take a seat, you've made a comfortable place for the ungodly, the sinners and the scornful to whisper into your ear.

Blessed is the man
Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly,
Nor stands in the path of sinners,
Nor sits in the seat of the scornful;
But his delight is in the law of the Lord,
And in His law he meditates day and night.
He shall be like a tree
Planted by the rivers of water,
That brings forth its fruit in its season,
Whose leaf also shall not wither;
And whatever he does shall prosper.

When taking counsel from others, remember these things.

Look for people...

• with a proven track record of integrity
• of like faith
• who share your vision
• who know how to keep a confidence

These types of advisers will give you the best chance of success.

And most importantly, seek the Lord on your own account.

In Isaiah 30:21 it says, "whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, "This is the way; walk in it."

At the grocery store that day, I watched the woman talking to the cereal box, I believed one thing but in reality what I saw was not true.

In this life, we need to be sure we know who we are talking to, and who we are listening to!