It’s prideful to assume we have nothing to learn from others. But allowing others to influence us doesn’t mean we have to compromise our integrity along the way. We can remain flexible in our approach to life while holding firm to who God has called us to be.
On the one hand, we all have our blind spots. And it’s foolish not to accept insights and possible correction from others when it can make us better. But this doesn’t require us to go along with every suggestion made. In fact, we neglect our self-responsibility when we do. It’s bad faith to simply go along with the recommendations of others without testing it against the spirit God has given us.
Of course, maturity is needed so we’re not merely rejecting sound advice because it pushes us outside of our comfort zone. Listening for and following the Spirit of God remains our ultimate goal – not simply what we want or what others want for us.
As such, our task is to listen for God’s voice as others are speaking to us. Is God speaking through our wife, friend, or even our child to get our attention on some matter? To be sure, he often uses unlikely messengers. While this is entirely possible, it should still correspond with some conviction in our own spirit. And in this way we are testing the spirits and not being tossed around with every new opinion or feeling, from others or even ourselves.
We’re humble enough to remain flexible, while remaining grounded enough to stay true to God’s calling for our life. We miss many opportunities for growth when we dismiss the counsel of others. But we lack meaningful strength when we constantly bend over backwards to meet their expectations.
In the end, stay open in your willingness to learn from others. But filter their suggestions through the work of God’s Spirit in your own life. Follow God more than the opinions of others, and even your own feelings.
