09/03/14

Is it good to remain young and open minded?

Proverbs 1:4 - To give subtilty to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion.


Let me get to word study before I get to the message (I am elaborating this so as to show how to study scriptures).

Subtilty - Hebrew word 'ormah' which means shrewdness, symbolizing keen sense.
Simple - Hebrew word 'pethiy' comes from the word 'pathah' meaning open space symbolizing here as open minded.
Young man - Hebrew word 'naar' comes from the verb which means shake or tossed to and fro.

We see in today's message knowledge, wisdom and understanding of God's Word has a specific purpose that is to give subtilty to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion. When we read in English this does not give the depth of the scripture but when we get to the Hebrew words and its root, it opens a great dimension of understanding.

The word says it is good to be open-minded, to be acceptable to various understandings. Many are so open-minded that their minds are 360degrees open such that at the end they hold nothing. We read in today's message the Word of God states it gives sense of keenness to an open mind.

We as Christians are not called to be open minded people and not also closed minded either, but we are called to be focus or keen minded people. We should not be a garbage dump wherein everything is thrown or collected. We are called to be a store house wherein good things are stored and garbage is not allowed.

The Hebrew words give characteristics of what they point to. The word used for young talks of a person who is immature mentally and not a person young / healthy in body. It uses the word tossed to and fro, a person who is immature. Here we read the Word of God anchors the mind of the young person and causes the person who is tossed to and fro to be stable in his or her thinking.

So let us as Christians study the Word of God and receive its knowledge, wisdom and understanding so as to be focused and have a strong foundation.


[ Prayer Starter ]
Lord, the world tells us to be open minded and thus fills us with garbage. It tells us youthfulness is good and thus keeps us from becoming mature people. Lord, we pray your people understand the Kingdom of God is not for the open-minded or for the young but for those who know their purpose and those who are mature in spirit...

This prayer we make in Jesus' Name, Amen.


[ Reference ]
Proverbs 1:2-6
2 To know wisdom and instruction; to perceive the words of understanding;
3 To receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, and judgment, and equity;
4 To give subtilty to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion.
5 A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels:
6 To understand a proverb, and the interpretation; the words of the wise, and their dark sayings.

Romans 8:14,16,17,19
14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.
19 For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.

The Word of God was given free to us, therefore we should also share it freely with others. (All rights are with God)