726) Through the years, I have kept a quote book where I write things I have read that stand out to me. One of them is by Marquis de la Grange who said, “When we ask for advice; we are usually looking for an accomplice.”

We see this very thing in 1 Kings 12:1-11 when Rehoboam, Solomon’s son, takes over the throne of Israel. First, he consults with his father’s advisors, which is good but then, in verse 8-9, he seeks his peers and asks them what they think. Though I do not know for sure, it seems that Rehoboam asked the young men because they would tell him what he wants to hear rather than what the elders had to say.

Next time you’re asking for advice, think–is this truly for advice or do I just want to find someone to agree with me?