Hold advisers accountable

Steve Lyston, Contributor

With the global shift and the economic meltdown taking place, in addition to the 1.4 billion people living in poverty worldwide, there is great demand for solutions.

Even political administrations are feeling the negative effects and the instability. While it is easy to blame leaders, oftentimes we do not scrutinise to see who the advisers are behind the key players.

Many advisers are pulled from different sectors or fields. Some are deemed special advisers, and some are regarded as experts in particular areas or fields. Advisers are often chosen based on their success in a particular area.

With all that is happening, globally and locally, we must hold the advisers accountable. Many times they are recycled having failed in a particular area, though their names still carry clout.

Moving forward, our choice of advisers will be critical.

There is a need for advisers, and our advisers will have to be truthful! Their motives must be right. They ought not to serve only for gifts, reward, a big salary or accolades, but they must serve for the benefit and betterment of the people.

Furthermore, some of them will tell lies to their leaders in order to maintain their status, jobs or access.

Every leader or organisation needs advisers. For success and longevity, they need advisers who are unselfish and honest and not focused solely on profit-making, destroying lives and families and also in an effort to gain political dominion, which can all eventually backfire.

It is important for us to realise that wrong advisers can send, and have sent, many banks into receivership; and even the shaking of Wall Street. There will be forfeiting of loans, downgrading of credit ratings. If the issue of advisers is not re-evaluated, then we can look out for that and more happening in the near future.

We need advisers that are new and different; ones that are willing to re-evaluate policies and economic models. We don't need advisers who will give advice where its sole purpose is to benefit those in their own circle.

In order to move forward, our advisers must be truthful. Are your advisers willing to tell you the truth no matter what? Are they placed around you for the betterment of the organisation or nation, or for your demise? Are your advisers also advising your competitor or opponent?

Ecclesiastes 9:13-18 gives us a typical example of the kind of advising that currently takes place in almost every organisation. It is a matter of money versus knowledge. Most of the people who have the knowledge to fix the problem are ignored, but when someone with money and influence comes forward with foolish advice, it is readily accepted, implemented, and even makes headlines.

Unless there is serious re-evaluation of advisers and a changing of the guard, then there will be a void in the entire financial market and insurance sector. Furthermore, there will be a serious crisis in the agricultural and health sectors, as well as among schools and universities. Preparedness for disasters will be almost non-existent.

The following are some of the points on which advisers should be selected:

They must fear God and possess godly wisdom.

They must be willing to tell those they advise the truth regardless of the outcome.

They must know the times and seasons and know the greatest needs.

They must be principled and understand biblical principles and how to apply them. Hence, they don't need to be experts in a particular field, but they will understand godly principles that will help to guide them in all areas.

They must have proper moral and family principles and any laws they seek to have implemented must uphold biblical beliefs for family and lifestyle.

They must be problem solvers to the benefit or the organisation or nation.

They must have the poor at heart and be instrumental in job creation in general.

Advisers are critical to the steering and direction of an organisation or nation, and their selection cannot be based on friendships, promises and sphere of influence. We must look at who our advisers are and ensure that they fit the bill and have at heart, the best interest of the organisation or nation.

Steve Lyston is a biblical economics consultant and author of several books, including 'End Time Finance' and 'The New Millionaire'.