Open Heart or Closed Mind?

 

By Andrea Merrell

For Wisdom is better than all the trappings of wealth;

nothing you could wish for holds a candle to her.

Proverbs 8: 11 MSG

 

The session became intense as friction filled the room. The wife glared at her husband and then the therapist. “He never listens. He’s so close-minded. No matter how many times I try to have a conversation, he shuts me out.”

The therapist shook her head knowingly. “I see. You know, conversation includes dialogue from both parties. Are you leaving room for dialogue or just blasting him with a diatribe?”

The scene was part of a TV sitcom, but I wondered how many times this scenario takes place in real life. Many times we want a true, heart-to-heart conversation, but find ourselves ranting instead, unwilling to hear or consider the other person’s point of view.

Someone once said the mind is a terrible thing to waste. How do we waste it? By keeping it closed. Closed to new ideas, suggestions, and better ways of doing things. Closed to the thoughts and opinions of others. Closed to anything that goes against our grain.

In Proverbs 8, the writer talks about Lady Wisdom and how we should live:

Right in the city square where the traffic is thickest, she shouts, “You—I’m talking to all of you, everyone out here on the streets! Listen, you idiots—learn good sense! You blockheads—shape up! Don’t miss a word of this—I’m telling you how to live well, I’m telling you how to live at your best. My mouth chews and savors and relishes truth—I can’t stand the taste of evil! You’ll only hear true and right words from my mouth; not one syllable will be twisted or skewed. You’ll recognize this as true—you with open minds; truth-ready minds will see it at once. Prefer my life-disciplines over chasing after money, and God-knowledge over a lucrative career. For Wisdom is better than all the trappings of wealth; nothing you could wish for holds a candle to her. (vs. 1-11 MSG)

Seems that King Solomon—one of the wisest men in all history—considered wisdom as our greatest commodity, the attribute that helps us truly live well. And according to him, wisdom comes when we have a “truth-ready” open mind ready to receive “God-knowledge.”

Are you ready for the truth?

(Photo courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net and imagerymajestic.)