Whose Voice Are You Listening To?

Proverbs 5:1–2
"My son, pay attention to my wisdom, listen well to my words of insight, that you may maintain discretion and your lips may preserve knowledge."

A couple of weeks ago, I was in Houston with a group of pastors for a conference. If you’ve ever driven through Houston, you know the interstates are massive. Multiple lanes, fast-moving traffic, exits coming at you fast — if you miss your turn, you don’t just backtrack a little. You could end up miles off course.

I had the GPS on, but we were deep in conversation, laughing, swapping stories, catching up on ministry and life. The GPS was still speaking, but I wasn’t really listening. I heard it — but I didn’t heed it. Before I knew it, we blew right past the exit. Rerouting. Again.

How often do we do the same thing in life?

We’ve got God’s Word in front of us. His voice is speaking. But the noise of the world — the conversations, the busyness, the pressure, the distractions — it all gets so loud. And even though His wisdom is right there, we miss the turn. We’re still moving, but now we’re off course.

That’s exactly what Proverbs 5 warns against:
"Pay attention to my wisdom, listen well to my words of insight..."

Not just hear it. Listen well. Let it guide you.

Three Reminders for Staying Tuned In

1. Let Scripture be your GPS.
God’s Word isn’t just information — it’s direction. When His truth fills our minds, it helps filter out the lies, distractions, and noise that would lead us off course.

2. Make space to listen.
Wisdom isn’t always loud. Sometimes it’s a whisper — a prompting in prayer, a quiet reminder from a familiar verse, a moment of clarity in silence. But you have to slow down to hear it.

3. Be aware of the competing voices.
We’re influenced by more than we realize. Podcasts, headlines, social media, even well-meaning friends — all of them speak. But not all of them speak truth. Wisdom begins with discernment.

“That you may maintain discretion and your lips may preserve knowledge.”
God’s wisdom doesn’t just shape how we think — it shapes how we speak, how we live, how we respond. And when we’re tuned in to His voice, we’re far less likely to drift off course.

A Prayer for Today
Father, I don’t want to just hear Your Word — I want to follow it. Help me recognize the voices that are leading me off course. Slow me down enough to listen. Speak clearly, and tune my heart to hear You above the noise. In Jesus’ name, amen.