Giving Advise 3: Know Your Jurisdiction

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Audio:  https://youtu.be/-tmS8ooEy58?si=2V9ApsIaa-aMudBR


There’s a line that many well-meaning Christians sometimes cross: offering advice or correction where it simply isn’t their place. In a world full of strong opinions and quick words, we must be careful not to step outside of our jurisdiction:  the God-given boundaries of our responsibility and influence.

Here are some examples:


~It is not our place to tell someone how to parent their child when we’ve not been asked, nor walked in their shoes. 

~It is not wise to attend another church and begin critiquing their ministry or doctrine as though we were sent there to reform them. 

~ I would not presume to go to a wife and tell her that her husband is wrong.  That is not my role, and it’s not my place.  

~We don’t give unsolicited advice to our parents in their old age, unless there’s a serious decline like dementia where care and safety are involved. The Bible says, “Honour thy father and thy mother…” (Exodus 20:12). That command doesn’t expire when we grow up. We’re not to think we’ve outgrown them or become wiser than they are. Honor means we respect their role and approach them with humility.

~ And as grandparents, we must remember: even though we love our grandchildren dearly, it’s not our place to overstep and tell our adult children how to raise their children. God has given them that responsibility, just as He once gave it to us. Our role now is to pray not to control.


There’s wisdom in knowing when to speak and when to stay silent. Scripture tells us plainly: “He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto him.” (Proverbs 18:13) Jumping into situations without understanding the full story is not just unwise, it’s shameful.


The truth is, God has entrusted each of us with a specific sphere of influence and responsibility. Parents are accountable to God for how they raise their children. Husbands and wives answer to one another and to the Lord. Pastors are called to shepherd their own congregations, not someone else’s. Our role toward our parents is to honor them, not to correct or control them. And when it comes to our adult children, we release them into God’s hands. We pray, we trust, and we let God do the leading.

Romans 13:1 says, “Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God…” God has set up structure and authority, for our good. When we ignore that and assume authority where it hasn’t been given, we invite confusion and even dishonor God’s order.


When we offer correction outside of our calling, we may be stepping on ground that God has not given us authority to stand on. It’s not humility that drives such behavior.   It’s often pride disguised as concern. And though we may think we are “helping,” we can actually do harm by sowing discord, stirring confusion, or disrespecting divine order.


So what do we do instead?


We pray.


Because at the end of the day, we’re not called to fix everyone. We’re called to be faithful in our lane, our jurisdiction.  Let God handle the rest.

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