Parental Advice

Dear Victorious,

My parents always seem to be wanting to give me advice. I'm finishing college and have made a lot of good, intelligent friends. I think I'm old enough to make my own decisions. Besides, I have friends whom I prefer to get advice from. How can I get them off my back?

C.C. - Atlanta

Dear C.C.,

I don't know your parents, so it is hard to say what motivates them to want to give you advice. I suppose you could sit them down and have a chat about this. Perhaps you've done that though and they didn't listen. So here's the thing --- your parents are probably the wisest people that you know. It's true! Consider all the people who know you intimately. How much life experience do they have? How much wisdom have they acquired in life? For most of us, especially when we are young adults, our parents are the wisest people that we know.

Now think about your friends. How old are they? Even if they had the experience in life and the wisdom that only experience brings, how likely is it that they would be predisposed to tell you what you want to hear? Isn't it likely that they may also share your inexperienced point of view? The point is, though they may be happy to give you advice that you're happy to get ... it is unlikely to be good, objective advice.

If I were you, I would seriously evaluate what your parents have to say. Consider what motive they might have for offering that advice. Consider what wisdom or life experiences they have that might be behind that advice. Perhaps the most important thing you could do is to pray and ask God what He would like you to do with their advice!