Full of Opinion, Void of Understanding

REFERENCE: Proverbs 18:2 Fools have no interest in understanding; they only want to air their own opinions.

Observation: Every morning on OPB (Oregon Public Broadcasting) there is a radio show from the BBC called "World Have Your Say". People from all over the world call in and give their opinion about the issues of the day. This show is typical of how our world operates. Everyone feels like they are not only entitled to an opinion, but entitled, as well, to share it with as many others as possible. They do not even stop to ask what the value of their opinion might be. Perhaps it is totally ill-informed. Perhaps it is not well considered. But we persist in sharing it anyway because it is our right!

The problem is that we forget that there is a great difference between our opinion and real understanding. Just because we believe something to be true does not make it necessarily so. If we are going to pursue the way of wisdom, we need to be more enamored of discovering what is true than in airing what we already believe.

Our world is trapped in foolishness because they accept that the opinion of the majority must be right. The truth is that the opinion of the majority is often wrong. Therefore, what we need to pursue is not another chance to express our opinion or to hear someone else’s, but to discover real truth, true understanding that come from God, no matter what others, or even we ourselves, think of it.

Application/Confession: I love to give my opinion. I love to hear others give their’s - when it confirms my own. I need to be more enamored with learning to have understanding that goes beneath the surface and know the truth that only God’s point of view can reveal.

PRAYER: Dear God, teach me the truth. Teach me to have an open heart and mind to you and more of a closed mouth. I only want to open it when you tell me to.