A generation Of Fools.

Proverbs 18:2

“A fool takes no pleasure in understanding,

but only in expressing his opinion.”

Facebook, Youtube, Twitter, Blogspot. I live in a generation where making my opinion known is all too easy, and highly encouraged. However I have often felt pretty foolish after sharing my opinion on a subject, only to realize I did not understand the subject at all. Then instead of trying to understand it I planted down and tried to defend my opinion. I pray I do this less and less as I get older. Any way you look at it there is a lot of foolishness happening on social media.

But some of the most interesting and best discussions can come out of these situations as well. There have been times where instead of expressing an opinion I asked questions, and learned quite a bit.

We are all entering into new cultures, with different customs, and languages.

I get to go to Guatemala again, so I have been exposed to the culture before at least. And as I think of this verse from the point of view of being in missions. I think how damaging and foolish it can be to express our opinion of how something should be done, without seeking to understand why it is being done the way it is already.

How damaging it can be to look at things through my American worldview lens, and how ineffective my communication of the gospel can become. Because when I only express my opinion, I can easily leave out the gospel and God's word. However as a christian working alongside PFM what I do becomes instantly linked with others view of the gospel, God, and Christianity as a whole. How awful it would be to foolishly express my own opinion and hinder someone understanding the gospel because of it.

Now here is where being teachable, trainable, and coachable comes in. As we are learning about new cultures and say we don't agree to some of the restraints on what we can wear, how we may eat, and how we must interact with others. We have to submit, we have to seek to understand the values in the culture and why we are being asked to dress, act, or eat a certain way. Ask those question and be willing to listen. If I do this I'll be finding myself feeling far less foolish far more often.

Application.

Ask questions to understand instead of seeking to share my own opinion.

How? I have prayed for God help me be a listener and observer in this culture, as well as to anyone I meet.