Two things can prove injurious to anybody. Firstly, surrounding oneself with liars or flatterers. Proverbs 26:28 says, “A lying tongue hates those who are crushed by it, And a flattering mouth works ruin.” A company of “yes men” around the throne is a disaster. Secondly, being impervious to truth. Receiving good counsel and going contrary to it is worse than not receiving any at all. God designed man to function in a community. The community, among other things, serves as a support group. We also derive necessary counsel from such communities.
“It is important to know that no matter how wise one is, nobody has a monopoly on wisdom.”
David’s disastrous step in numbering Israel was not because of flatterers around, he simply refused to listen to the voice of reason. David could not complain about being alone or that no one told him the truth. When he came up with the weird idea of numbering Israel, Joab tried to dissuade him from that foolish step. Turning down Joab’s advice led to catastrophe in the land. One safety valve is to always seek a second opinion at critical turns of life. It is important to know that no matter how wise one is, nobody has a monopoly on wisdom. Again, no one can claim to monopolise the mind of God. Opening up to the input of others may prevent disaster. Here is a rule of life: if something does not seem right or someone expresses reservations about it, wait before you take action.