Proverbs 18:2 Opinion
Food for Thought
An all-creatures.org Guide to Kingdom Living. True Christian living requires us to live according to Kingdom standards which bring Heaven to earth

By Marni Montanez

Proverbs 18:2 Complete Jewish Bible

2. A fool takes no pleasure in trying to understand; he only wants to express his own opinion.

It is unlikely that we could live in this world and not hear the opinions of others.  Some people are very vocal about their thoughts and beliefs and become offended if they feel someone doesn’t agree with them.   We shake our heads and judge them with great disdain for this act of arrogance, but how many of us are willing to take a long honest look at ourselves and allow the Holy Spirit to bring to the surface anything foolish about our own hearts that has gone unnoticed.   It is easier to be in denial about our shortcomings than it is to look inside and see that something is wrong.

In the bible it instructs us to listen.  Listening well takes effort. In our conversations, many of us listen for those pause moments where we can sneak in our opinions and great wisdom.  What we have to say is more important than what the other person has to say; of course, we would never admit to that.

Preparing something to say in your mind while appearing to be listening to another person’s viewpoint  is a sign that there is more value placed on what you have to say than what the other person has to say.

Some people have an intolerance of anyone else’s ideas or opinions if it clashes with theirs.   God calls this kind of person foolish because they have a propensity to want to prove they are right or better able to present the correct view instead of being teachable themselves.

To believe our opinions are superior to others thoughts and opinions is pride.  To believe that we are so incredibly important that we won’t accept someone else has another view keeps us blind and deaf to things we need to hear and know.

1 Corinthians 1:27 New King James Version  \But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty;

There is information out there that the foolish need to hear but don’t and end up making mistakes that could have been avoided.

Challenge:  Learn to listen with your heart.  When you are discussing something with someone who has a different viewpoint, listen with the intent of just listening and present your view point without judgement or prejudice.  Seek after being a person with a teachable spirit.

God bless

Marni

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The purpose of this series is to encourage people to live as loving, compassionate, and peacemaking children of God: Jesus tells us to pray, "Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven." (Matthew 6:10) God tells us through Micah (6:8), "He has told you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you But to do justice, to love kindness, And to walk humbly with your God." And we know from Revelation 21:4 that there will be no more mourning, or crying, or pain, or death. Thus, Christian living requires us to set the standards of these conditions here on earth for our fellow human beings, and for the other animals, as a witness to the rest of the world. To do otherwise is not Christian.