We should all listen to good advice.  Many people have gotten themselves in bad situations because they ignore the advice of those who are more experienced than they are or who just have more knowledge than they do in a given area.  We should never let pride get in the way of listening to others.  None of us know everything.  There is always going to be someone who knows more than we do.

While listening to advice can be very beneficial, we should be a little more discriminatory when it comes to actually taking the advice.  Some advice must be weighed more than others, and we should also consider the source when doing so.  Advice can sometimes hurt more than help if we follow it without careful deliberation.  

Proverbs 27:6 (ESV)
⁶  Faithful are the wounds of a friend; profuse are the kisses of an enemy.

When someone who has treated you like an enemy is all of a sudden being really friendly and complimentary, be cautious.  There might be a snare waiting for you.

Romans 16:18 (ESV)
¹⁸  For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive.

While we all like compliments once in a while, words that wound us a little bit might be the most helpful.  This is where we must push pride away and be willing to listen, even when it hurts.  If we consider the source of the words and realize that the one saying them is a real friend, we should listen to them with an open mind instead of getting defensive.  

Proverbs 13:18 (ESV)
¹⁸  Poverty and disgrace come to him who ignores instruction, but whoever heeds reproof is honored.

While Peter was somewhat impetuous, in his favor was the fact that when he made mistakes, he was willing to listen to others and do better.  He was once rebuked by Paul for acting hypocritically.

Galatians 2:11 (ESV)
¹¹  But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned.

What did Peter do?  He withdrew himself from eating with the Gentiles because some Jewish men from Jerusalem came to town.  Paul said that his conduct “was not in step with the truth of the gospel” (Galatians 2:11-14).  How did Peter handle such a public rebuke?  We are not told specifically, but later, when he wrote his second epistle, we find him referring to Paul as his beloved brother (2 Peter 3:16).

How good are you at taking advice?  Do you listen to just anyone, simply because they mix in a few complimentary words?  More importantly, when you need to be admonished, do you take it well?

Proverbs 15:32 (ESV)
³²  Whoever ignores instruction despises himself, but he who listens to reproof gains intelligence.

As you wind down for the night, think about these things.