Truth requires openess

Jesus indicates repeatedly that those who are open to receive are blessed and will indeed receive. This requires us to stir ourselves awake, open our spiritual eyes, and listen with spiritual ears. Only then will we see and hear the truth God is sharing. If we think about it, the times when we were hungry, seeking, and open to God are the times when our faith grew. I meet Christians all the time who have put up so many barriers to truth. They only have eyes to see what they already know, and ears to hear what they have already been told. It breaks my heart and the teacher in me wants to keep trying to reach them. I'm learning to listen to the Holy Spirit and just say what he has me to say, then let the seeds alone and pray they will receive. Jesus shared in parables and then walked away, I guess I need to follow his example. 

Sometimes when I'm sharing truth with someone, I see them pause and consider what I've said. Then they open their eyes to let the truth in and honestly think about it. That is such an exciting and rewarding moment. I'll never forget onetime when I was teaching a class on one of Paul's epistles and a lady in the back jumped up and said "I get it! Paul rocks!" I still remember that moment all these years later.

In Matthew 13:16 Jesus says, "But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear." Don't let yourself grow dull or your senses fade from lack of use. Start your day by asking the Lord to help you see and hear truth when it comes. Practice openness. Practice seeking out truth wherever you are. Your spiritual senses will grow stronger with use.

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