Biblical Advice and Counsel

I really enjoy using The Thompson Chain Reference Bible for my word studies.  They call it the "self-commentary" Bible because the Chain Reference allows you to see what he Bible says about a subject as you follow a word through the Scripture from front to back.
Anyway, I was looking for counsel/advice because I was trying to learn to make decisions based on God's will and not my own understanding or emotion.  In the process I gleaned an interesting insight that I wanted to share.

¹⁹ Listen now to me and I will give you some advice, and may God be with you. You must be the people's representative before God and bring their disputes to him. ²⁰ Teach them the decrees and laws, and show them the way to live and the duties they are to perform.

Ex 18: 19-20

New International Version

This passage relates to the advice that Moses received from his father-in-law.  I have read it many times, but never thought about how it relates to me.  As I read it today, seeking wisdom concerning advice, it became clear to me for the first time that I am often put in the position that Moses was in - having to settle disputes among the people.

Any parent with more than one child is regularly called upon to play judge.  It is frustrating because you never know what really happened and there are always two vastly different stories!  It never occurred to me to take it to the One who actually KNOWS what happened!

When I pray with the warring sibling, asking God to settle their disputes, I can take advantage of the opportunity to teach principles of Christ-likeness.

• consider others before yourself Ph 2:3
• let no unwholesome talk come out of your mouth Ep 4:29
• develop the attitude of Christ Ph 2:5
• forgive others as Christ has forgiven you Lk 6:37
• love is patient, love is kind... 1 Cor 13:4

If I just brush it off or tell them to work it out themselves, I have missed an opportunity to guide and direct my children.
I am praying for you, and for myself, that we don't allow ourselves to become to busy or distracted to take advantage of teachable moments when they present themselves.