Not too long ago, I was walking my crazy dog, Jake, a 2 1/2 year old lab (whom we should have named, Marley) down a path behind my house.

We encountered another woman and her dog.   As Jake often does, he went crazy at the sight of the other dog.  I was doing all I could to control my 75lb. out-of-control animal.

Needless to say, the other dog owner was not filled with grace.  She began to angrily bark dog advice at me.

Though it may have been needed, my instinctive response, which by God’s grace, I refrained from angrily barking back, “Lady, I do not remember asking you for advice!”

At our February Iron Sharpens Iron workshop, Carol Godwin, who has her Master’s degree in Counseling, confirmed what I knew to be true in my heart…

Her words:

“To anyone who offers you their unsolicited advice or their, ‘Well, I think….,’ comments… I would encourage you to ask yourself this question: 

Does their advice or opinion line up with the Word of God? 

If it doesn’t, disregard the comment or the advice.  Typically, if the sentence starts with, “Well, I THINK…”  it probably does not line up with God’s Word.”

May God’s Word protect your heart and mind when unsolicited advice comes your way.   May God protect all of us from offering unsolicited advice, (unless He prompts us) that our conversations “be always full of grace, seasoned with salt…”  Colossians 4:6