I begin with some questions for thought—Do you ever give advice? Do you like to give advice? If so, what does that say about your opinion of yourself? Do you ever receive advice from others, either solicited or unsolicited? How well do you receive advice from others? Are you better at giving or receiving advice? Are you one of those who could care less about either giving or receiving advice?
In my past, I have been known to give advice, most often when unsolicited. There are times when others have asked my opinion. There is a difference in advice and opinion. An opinion is an unspoken determination about a situation people conclude in their own minds. As such, it cannot become advice until it is verbalized. By the way, this is Mincey’s definition, not Webster’s.
I remember a specific instance in which a good friend asked me for my opinion on a relationship in which she was involved. I listened, occasionally asking questions to help me make an opinion. When she finished, she asked me what I thought. I asked her if she really wanted my opinion. Yes, she did—I was her friend and she respected my opinion. I verbalized my opinion as advice—get away while you can before you are destroyed.
Perhaps it was my wording that was interpreted as lack of sympathy. Perhaps it was hearing what she did not want to her. Whatever the reason, I became public enemy number one in that friendship for a significant spell. Appreciatively, in that situation, when my advice proved to be correct, my friend removed herself from the relationship before she was destroyed. As to our friendly relationship, my friend forgave all, and our friendship was restored. I feel that is the ultimate sign of true friendship—forgiveness and restoration.
Interestingly, I later found myself in a similar circumstance. My friends who loved me, though unsolicited, tried to warn me to flee the evil and wrath to come. Like the friend mentioned above, I did not appreciate or heed their advice at the time. When my impending doom was a “hair’s breadth” away, like the prodigal son of the 15th chapter of Luke, I “came to myself” and removed myself from that unhealthy situation.
I encountered a former student earlier this week. I remembered him, but as he was the last time I saw him as a child in elementary school. I did not recognize him as an adult, but when he told me who he was I immediately made the connection. I am happy to report this young man has a fine job. He told me about an incident in which he was involved that, though no fault on his part, was about to cost him several thousand dollars. He told me briefly about the steps he successfully took to have that situation resolved without his having to pay the unjust charges. He said that I once told him when I was discipling him, “You told me that I had a head on my shoulders and that I needed to use it for something besides a hat rack.” I was pleased and surprised that he remembered and was able to use that one bit of advice.
I do believe that good friends and loved ones try their best to advise, even when unsolicited, to try to keep those they care about from going astray and making bad decisions. As a young driver, I was once involved in a traffic accident that was not my fault. There was even a highway patrol officer on site that witnessed the incident. To make a long story short I later went against my mother’s advice to not sign anything and signed a document that released the other driver from any responsibility for the accident. At least from that experience I learned to not blindly trust strangers.
On another occasion, I had opportunity to pass this bit of advice along to a relative. Just like me, he did not heed the advice and unwisely signed away some of his rights. I guess both of us proved two of my mother’s statements to be correct—“If you get your butt burnt you have to sit on the blister” and “If you make your bed, you have to lay in it.”
I could ramble longer, but I leave you, Dear Reader, with words from the ultimate source of advice, the book of Proverbs 19:20 (KJV): “Hear counsel, and receive instruction, that thou mayest be wise is thy latter end.” Personally, I feel it always best to add nothing to Scriptural advice. As usual, I leave you with some thoughts from my email world.

Common sense is not a gift. It's a punishment because
you have to deal with everyone else who doesn't have it.

I never make the same mistake twice.
I do it like, five or six times, you know, to make sure.

Words that soak into your ears are whispered… not yelled.

Forgive your enemies; it messes up their heads.