My husband is one of the most open people I know - "what you see is what
you get" with him. :-) At first, I was attracted to this quality, even
admired it. Then, after we married, I became irritated by it. It didn't
take long for me to discover that my husband and I were total opposites
when it came to being open. In my estimation, his openness threw us into
difficult settings that I would not naturally choose for myself! Yes,
I was closed off to many of the things that he was wide open to... You
can imagine the conflicts we encountered - not to mention the lessons
I've learned! What are some of the characteristics of an open person?
Joshua 17:5-6, "And there fell ten portions to Manasseh, beside the land
of Gilead and Bashan, which were on the other side Jordan; Because the
daughters of Manasseh had an inheritance among his sons: and the rest
of Manasseh's sons had the land of Gilead."
An open person is willing to change tradition for the sake of people.
They are free to think according to truth and justice as is the example
in the above text. Although women did not traditionally inherit property
in Israelite society, Moses put justice ahead of tradition and gave these
five women the land they deserved (see Numbers 27:1-11 for the full account).
In fact, God told Moses to add a law that would help other women in similar
circumstances inherit property as well. Joshua was now carrying out this
law. It's easy to refuse to honor a reasonable request simply because
"things have never been done that way before", amen? But, just as Moses
and Joshua did, it is best to look carefully at the purpose of the law
and the merits of each case before deciding.
Matthew 2:12-13, "And being warned of God in a dream that they should
not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.
And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to
Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother,
and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod
will seek the young child to destroy him."
An open person changes plans in accordance with God's direction. I have
come to appreciate this quality about my husband as a pastor... Because
he is open, he listens intently to the leadership of the Holy Spirit and
follows God's instructions - in spite of how untraditional they might
be and in spite of what others may think! So too, in the verses above,
after finding Jesus and worshipping him, the magi were warned by God not
to return to Herod as they had originally intended. What if they had not
been open?? Ladies, finding Jesus may mean that your life, at times, must
take a different direction, one that is responsive and obedient to God's
Word! Are you willing to be led a different way?
Proverbs 21:1, "The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord, as the rivers
of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will."
You see, an open person accepts the unexpected, as did Joseph. How do
you typically respond to weighty surprises like the variety this man encountered?
Would you say that you turn easily? This was the second dream or vision
that Joseph received from God. Joseph's first dream revealed that Mary's
child would be the Messiah (1:20-21). His second dream told him how to
protect the child's life. Although Joseph was not Jesus' natural father,
he was Jesus' legal father and was responsible for His safety and well-being.
Ladies, Divine guidance comes only to prepared hearts! Joseph continually
remained receptive to God's guidance... Hence, God was free to use him
fully and turn him in any direction He willed. Does the Lord have that
liberty with you??
Mark 4:20, "And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as
hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold,
some sixty, and some an hundred."
Wisdom would not advise an open person to admit all persons and influence
into their life without restraint... However, an open person is receptive
to the gospel and there is life in their soul! On the other hand, a closed
person has deadened himself to God's voice by setting up barriers... Those
who do so have recklessly opened their hearts to all kinds of people and
influences - except for the safest of all! What a tragedy for people who
profess the name of Christ to bar themselves to the One who died for them...
We all know the story of the four soils and how they represent four different
ways people typically respond to God's message. Usually we think that
Christ was talking about four different kinds of people. But He may also
have been talking about different times or phases in a person's life,
or how we willingly receive God's message in some areas of our life and
resist it in others. For example, you may be open to God about your future,
but closed concerning how you spend your money. You may be open to the
Lord's demand for worship, but closed to His demand to give to people
in need. Think about it... Is your heavenly Father free to discuss things
with you? What areas in your life might you be closed off to the voice
of the Lord? You see ladies, God has not left our conduct up to us and
our opinions! We must strive to have good ground in our heart at all times,
amen? Our God both encourages and promises openness... It's part of His
very character!
Rev. 3:20, "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my
voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him,
and he with me."
Luke 11:9-10, "And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek,
and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For every one
that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh
it shall be opened."
Shall it be so with you?
God Bless,
Pam
Isaiah 60:1&2
Copyright 2001 Pamela A. Iannello
