1st Thessalonians 5:21 Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. 22 Abstain from all appearance of evil. 23 And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
This passage of scripture lays upon us the responsibility of keeping ourselves from even the appearance of what may seem to be evil. One of the reasons for this timely admonition is that it is possible to create a wrong impression even when doing something that is good, and lest the cause of God be brought into disrepute on account of any ill-advised moves or actions on our part, the Bible admonishes us to refrain from all appearances of evil. When Christ sent the disciples out on missionary journeys, He sent them out two by two, so in that way, any unforeseen situation they might encounter would have the benefit of resolution by two minds instead of one.
As ministers of the gospel of God's grace we are sometimes called upon to give counsel where it is greatly needed, and at other times there may be a valid need of financial, or even emotional support. Especially is this the case when it comes to marriage counseling, where one spouse may be dealing with an unstable husband or wife, and in sheer desperation, he or she may seek advice from a brother or sister who can empathize and pray with them. All such situations need to be addressed in a timely and appropriate manner, under the guidance and direction of God, so that only good may be the result. Let's read:
Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. 6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
However, it is not the best idea for a sister to seek private or intimate counsel from a brother when she is in emotional distress about issues pertaining to her husband, for during times like these she is usually in a more vulnerable state of mind, and satan can and will seize upon any opportunity, to turn the tide of her emotions in his favor. This has happened time and time again in Christian circles, and therefore we should proceed with this type of counseling with reserve, wisdom, and decorum, preferably with another person so that in the mouth of two or three witnesses, every word may be established.
The reason for this advice is because women who are emotionally distressed on account of an unstable marriage, can easily become attached to another male confidante, who supplies the needed emotional support that is lacking, and when this is done over a period of time, her feelings and emotions can become entangled with the one who thus supplied her need. In this manner and for reasons such as these, the good that was intended to be done can take on the semblance of the appearance of evil, since onlookers can easily draw incorrect conclusions as to the relation of the one who helped, to the one in need. Hence the reason why the following scriptural admonition is so relevant, for we should never give occasion for our good to be evil spoken of. Let's read:
Ephesians 5:15 See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, 16 Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. 17 Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.
May the Lord give us wisdom and understanding in dealing with all sensitive matters so that His name will not suffer reproach because of a lack of discretion. God bless!