Narrow-Minded

Claustrophobia comes from the Latin word claustrum which means “a shut in place” and Greek phobos meaning “fear.”  Generally speaking, I am not claustrophobic but I know those who are, and I am sensitive to their efforts to avoid what may trigger panic.  I suspect if claustrophobia had ever been a threat to me, living in a house with four male-breathers would have certainly cured me … or pushed me beyond hope.

 

How narrow-minded are you?  We’ve all had occasion [I’m sure] to be in conversation with someone who just couldn’t seem to see beyond their own point-of-view.  I’m not good on-my-feet so I rarely debate an issue, however, I do try to hear another person’s thoughts and ideas.  I’m reminded of Paul at the Areopagus in Athens (Mars Hill, Acts 17) who [no doubt] heard and listened to various Greek philosophers debate many things, among them their gods. That became the platform for one of Paul’s greatest presentations of the One God and Gospel of Christ. A few days ago, I read this: “The very nature of truth is narrow.” That statement made me consider how narrow-minded we must be on spiritual matters.  Jesus Himself said, “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.” (Matthew 7:13-14).  In essence, Christians are called to the narrow way. Consider the “wide gates” of our day, and the throngs [even followers of Christ] who march through them!  Mr. Bill recently rambled through the kitchen looking for a funnel – for what, I shudder to think -- but I assumed he needed to move something from one container to another in a "narrow" fashion.  O. S. Hawkins continues, giving examples of the narrow truth of science (water freezes at 32 degrees, not 34 or 35), history (Abraham Lincoln was shot at Ford's Theater in Washington, DC, not the Bowery in Lower Manhattan), and mathematics (two plus two always equals four, not five or six).  We come to Christ one way -- by Grace through Faith in Christ Jesus; righteous living comes by embracing one truth -- God’s, nothing else.  I've never thought of myself as narrow-minded, but I now see it is necessary as it pertains to spiritual matters.  Avoiding narrow and shut-in places may be the cure for the claustrophobic, but the narrow Path of Truth and Obedience is The Way to Life.  You see, narrow-minded is really good!