After he had become king, Solomon's son, Rehoboam went to the old men to seek counsel from them. The people had come to him complaining that his father had made their yoke heavy. They requested that he change policy and lighten the load on the people. The old men advised Rehoboam this way, "If you will be a servant to this people today and serve them, and speak good words to them when you answer them, they they will be your servants forever." (1 Kings 12:6-8)
However, Rehoboam abandoned their counsel and wen to the young men who he had grown up with to see what they would say. The young men said, "This is what you should tell the people, 'My little finger is thicker than my father's thighs. And now, whereas my father laid on you a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke. My father disciplined you with whips, but I will discipline you with scorpions.'"
Rehoboam listened to the younger advisers and the people responded by abandoning Rehoboam and splitting the kingdom and appointing a king of their own choice.
All throughout the Bible, God tells his people that there is wisdom in the older people. So when you are looking for someone to advise you and give you counsel, go to those who are older and wiser than you. Listen carefully to what they have to say and weigh it heavily in your decision making process. You can get advice from younger people too, but remember that the more years of experience of life that a person has, the more likely it is that their advice will contain wisdom that only years of decision-making, successes and failures can give.
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