Let’s Be Reasonable, Teachable and Open Minded

1 Samuel 25:17 “Now then, know this and consider what you should do, for evil is (already) planned against our master and against all his household, but he is such a worthless and wicked man that one can not speak reasonably to him”

Have you become so closed minded in an area of your life that you are not able to receive reason? Can people approach you and have a reasonable conversation with you? Are so determined about something that you have become “wicked” and unreasonable?

In the above passage, the man who was wicked and worthless was Nabal. King David had sent his men to him and asked for some food, but he refused them. One man who was Nabal’s servants spoke this passage to Abigail, Nabal’s wife. He knew that David’s men had been kind and protected them while they were watching the sheep, and that trouble was coming, (because Nabal had refused to share with David and his men). He also knew that he could not go and speak to Nabal and give him the warning and insight into why he should give food to David. If we look at Mark 4:25, it talks about having a teachable spirit. We should desire to have a teachable spirit.

We need to be open to reasonable conversations and be willing to learn, to take warning’s and then test the word out through God’s word. Nabal’s close mindedness caused him to die. Later on in the 1 Samuel 25 David started to allow his anger to seek revenge against Nabal, but Abigail was able to approach David. She spoke reasonably to him. She reminded of his godly character. David then decided to allow God to seek revenge on Nabal. David was spared form having a stain on his godly character because he was open to having a reasonable conversation. He was approachable, he was willing to learn and be corrected from Abigail, a women. Remember that women in David’s day women did not have the same authority or respect as they do today. His culture would have led him to dismiss anything that a women had to say.

Are you reasonable and open minded, having that teachable spirit alive in you? Are you approachable and willing to learn from someone who you or your culture deem not to be as knowledgeable as you? Right now, as we go through Covid 19 having a teachable spirit is vital to our mental and physical health. We need to be willing to learn. To gather information and use our God given wisdom and discernment to keep us healthy, safe and our economy prospering. Do not become so close minded, that you are not approachable. Not everything you hear will be right. But we can all learn a little something from everyone. I was once told when you hear something, take the meat that is good for you to eat and leave the bones. A pastor once told me that instead of becoming offended, first look at why you are offended, is it something you need to change, and don’t want to? Not all wisdom is understood right away, so you can put that knowledge on a shelf and when you are ready you can go back to it.

Let’s always try to be willing to learn form everyone and be approachable.