This Proverb says, “The First to plead his case seems just until another comes and examines him.” The message here is that we must not be hasty in forming our judgment or opinion of other people. We must not form conclusions from hearing only one side of a story. This is true in court settings. It is also true in marital counseling.
A good marriage counselor will hear or listen to each spouse’s story before offering advice and counsel. When an offended party tells their story they tend to leave out anything that will not favor their case. This missing information is vitally important to a person’s understanding of the truth in a situation.
Therefore, if a person seeks our counsel regarding a another person who may have offended them, we should not be hasty with our response. We should be good listeners and ask some penetrating questions. That may further illuminate the situation. If possible we should hear the other person’s perspective in the matter. Then we will be able to offer more sound advice and counsel.
The Bible says that we are to love our neighbors as ourselves. An important aspect of this love is to offer sound advice. Offering faulty advice may lead to more damage to a relationship. Sound counsel is needed to help another person make good decisions that will produce good results in their life.
