Canned Answers!?!? That would be answers that are readily regurgitated for every similar situation regardless to peculiar circumstances.
It is absolutely insulting! This is true whether the person has any knowledge of the subject being discussed or whether they are experts on the subject.
Since nobody knows everything, and no one expects you to be a jack of all trades, there is no need to feel pressured into having an input into every matter.
When people realize that your answer is stale and far from revelatory, it causes you to lose credibility. When individuals are of a certain age they are definitely seeking fresh and advanced knowledge in a particular area because they very likely already know or have heard your canned answer.
This practice applies to personal, professional and spiritual matters alike. It is certainly cumbersome with spiritual matters because religious people don't always recognize the vastness and the diversity of experiences which often causes many to rely on that "one-size fits all" remedy. They will very flippantly give you their pet verses or personal theology without even blinking when they don't even have a lot of proof that it is the "cover-all answer."
Be willing to listen, to discuss, to ask questions, to consider possible options, to research, and yes, to even pray with the person(s) about THEIR particular situation.
