Christian Counseling vs. Professional Psychotherapy Essay

Christian Counseling vs. Professional Psychotherapy - Essay Example This discussion highlights that  advice is statement, which helps the person to make the right decision.   It is not as specific as counsel is and has the aim to lead the counseled individual to the right decision.   Advice provides several alternatives and individual decides which alternative is more acceptable to him/her.This paper outlines that  wisdom is a different concept than counsel and advice.   It is not even the trait of the character, but rather the ability to make right decision based on the previous experience and the ability to reason, to consider different alternatives and to make the best decisions.   From Biblical perspective, wisdom comes with the acceptance of the Godly lifestyle and belief into God, while from the general perspective the person is regarded as wise if all of his decisions are logically and ethically right.   The concept of wisdom is introduced in the Bible from the first book:   â€Å"When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it.   She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it†.  Wisdom is also the ability to be tolerant to others, the ability to listen to people and to accept their point of view, even if it is very different from the own. Being wise is not about knowing answers to all questions but rather about hearing others, analyzing the situations and finding the most appropriate solution, as the above verse supposes.  ... In this verse, the "counsel" has a different meaning - it indicates the way of life unbelievers have. Advice Advice is statement, which helps the person to make the right decision. It is not as specific as counsel is and has the aim to lead the counseled individual to the right decision. Advice provides several alternatives and individual decides which alternative is more acceptable to him/her (Butler 2003). "Listen now to me and I will give you some advice, and may God be with you. You must be the people's representative before God and bring their disputes to him" (Ex 18:19, Kohlenberger 2001). In this verse the advice is the recommendation but very specific one - the person is recommended to make the specific choice (to become the people's representative) and assume the specific responsibility (to bring the disputes of people to God). "Absalom said to Ahithophel, "Give us your advice. What should we do" (2 Sa 16:20, Kohlenberger 2001). Advice in this verse is self-explained: Absalom asks Ahithophel "what shall we do" - he is asking for the direction in life, the alternative course of act ion. Advice is asked for when someone is aware that some choice has to be done, but he is not able to decide which one is better. "When Hushai came to him, Absalom said, "Ahithophel has given this advice. Should we do what he says If not, give us your opinion" (2 Sa 17:6, Kohlenberger 2001). The meaning of advice in this verse is an alternative, possible course of action. It can be either accepted or rejected by the one who receives it. Bible leaves the right to make decision to the individual, who is the only one to decide what is better for him