Who is on Your “Cabinet” of Advisers?
Today is the Presidential election in the United States. The role of President is a pretty powerful role. However, to think that one possesses all of the knowledge, wisdom and power in oneself to live and make decisions without relying on the wisdom and help of others is foolish. This is one of the reasons why the U.S. President uses a Cabinet, a special group of advisers.
Article II, Section 2 of the U. S. Constitution states that the President “may require the opinion, in writing, of the principal officer in each of the executive departments, upon any subject relating to the duties of their respective offices” (art. 2, sec. 2, cl. 1.). To build the Cabinet, the President nominates heads of federal executive departments such as Secretary of State, Secretary of Treasury, Secretary of Defense, Attorney General, etc. Nominees are approved or confirmed by the Senate.
We need a Cabinet too
Just like it would be unwise for the President to think he needs no one, it would be foolish for us to try to do life alone. Especially when making big decisions, it’s always a good idea to consult others. Therefore, similar to the President, we too need a Cabinet of advisers. We need people in our lives that we can go to for their opinion on certain matters.
It’s not good to do life alone
God designed us as relational beings—we were NOT meant to do life alone!
The LORD God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him. (Genesis 2:18 NIV)
Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble. (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 NLT)
Jesus was led alone to the wilderness to be tempted (Matthew 4:1). We are tempted more when alone.
It’s wise to seek advice
When we don’t know what to do, it’s a good idea to seek advice, counsel and prayer. The Bible teaches us that there is wisdom in the counsel of many. This just means that it’s a good idea to get advice from a few trusted, wise people. We need people that we KNOW won’t lead us down the wrong path.
When we are needing direction or guidance on issues, it’s good to have certain people that we can call on. Getting some advice from a couple of people will help us decide on the best way to respond. It also helps to have a fresh pair of eyes, ears and perspective to see situations from different angles.
“A wise man will hear and increase in learning, and a man of understanding will acquire wise counsel” Proverbs 1:5 (NASB)
“Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counselors there is safety.” Proverbs 11:14 (KJV)
“Fools think their own way is right, but the wise listen to others.” Proverbs 12:15 (NLT)
“Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.” Proverbs 15:22 (NIV)
“Get all the advice and instruction you can, so you will be wise the rest of your life.” Proverbs 19:20 (NLT)
“Plans are established by seeking advice; so if you wage war, obtain guidance.” Proverbs 20:18 (NIV)
“So don’t go to war without wise guidance; victory depends on having many advisers.” Proverbs 24:6 (NLT)
“The godly give good advice to their friends; the wicked lead them astray.” (Proverbs 12:26 NLT)
“As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend.” (Proverbs 27:17 NLT)
I have a Cabinet that I rely on
Whenever I need prayer, there are a couple of friends that I immediately contact because they are pray-ers. They aren’t just lip-service “oh, I’ll be praying for you” kind of people. I know that as soon as I contact them they are going to stop right then and there a say a prayer. They are on my “Cabinet” as part of my prayer advisers.
When I’m struggling with a teaching issue or need some new ideas, I have a couple of other teacher friends that I contact. They are people who have either taught longer than me or may have experienced something similar. Sometimes, I need someone smarter, wiser, or more experienced than me that can give me educated advice.
Then I have a few people that are my normal go-to people for advice in everyday situations. Sometimes I need help with deciding what to do about something. Other times I might need some encouraging words or someone to tell me if I’m doing the right thing or not. Honestly, I’d be pretty lost without my Cabinet of friends and advisers.
Take Some Practical Steps To Build Your Personal Cabinet Of Advisers:
- Pick a few people in your life that you can go to:
- When you need to solve a problem
- If you are making a major decision
- When you don’t know what to do
- When you don’t know what to say
- If you need advice
- During times when you need prayer
- When you might need some correction
- Or when you just need some confirmation, affirmation, or encouragement
Who do you currently go to when you are in any of these situations? Do you have someone who can fill these roles in your “Cabinet”? They could be different people for each role. Additionally, one person could possibly even fill multiple roles.
- Pick people you can count on. You need people who are reliable and loyal. When you need to come to someone for advice or counsel, you will need dependable people on your side.
- Pick people that are experienced or further along than you in different areas that can advise you well. My pastor has said, “Find a man with a plan.” In other words, pick an “expert” in the field in which you are needing advisement. For example, if you need some advice about your finances, pick a friend that has their finances in order or that knows a lot about money management and is already successful in that area. If you need some parenting advice, pick a friend that has already gone through similar parenting struggles. It could be people whose kids are grown or even just a little older than yours. Ideally, in any area, you’ll pick people who have done well or come out on the other side with positive results.
- Lastly, pick people who will tell you the truth, even if it hurts. You need people who will speak the truth in love. You need people that genuinely care about you and helping you to be the best person you can be and to make the best decisions you can make. Sometimes you might need to hear things that you don’t really want to hear, and you need people that love you enough to do this in a kind way.
“Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church.” Ephesians 4:15 (NLT)
“Wounds from a sincere friend are better than many kisses from an enemy.” Proverbs 27:6 (NLT)
“In the end, people appreciate honest criticism far more than flattery.” Proverbs 28:23 (NLT)
What type of people do you have on your cabinet of advisers? What kinds of things do you go to them for? Tell us about it by leaving a comment below.
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If you know anyone that could benefit from this, please pay it forward! Share this post via the sharing links below. “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.” 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 (NIV)
**Updated: Originally posted 1/24/2017
