Too Narrow-Minded
Ponder: How narrow-minded does God want us to be?
Scripture: “Because narrow is the gate, and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it” (Matthew 7:14 NKJV).
(Musings overheard near the gate of Samaria about 853 BC [see 1 Kings 22 and 2 Chronicles 18])
Some people are just too narrow-minded! Take Micaiah. He thinks anybody who doesn’t agree with him is wrong! You should hear what he says about King Ahab and Jezebel just because they worship Baal. How can a man be so negative? After all, Jezebel isn’t even Israelite; she’s Phoenician. Doesn’t she have a right to her own religion? Besides, the king may worship Baal, but he worships the Lord too – sort of, anyway. Jeroboam’s golden calves at Dan and Bethel are supposed to represent the Lord. But they aren’t good enough for that narrow-minded zealot Micaiah!
He thinks he knows more than anyone else! Awhile back, all the Baal prophets encouraged Ahab and his friend, King Jehoshaphat of Judah, to fight the Syrians at Ramoth-Gilead. But Jehoshaphat wouldn’t go until he had heard from a prophet of the Lord. The officer they sent to fetch Micaiah urged him to join the Baal prophets in assuring the kings of victory. What do you suppose that narrow-minded bigot said? “Whatever the Lord says to me, that will I speak” (1 Kings 22:14). You’d think he could go along with the others just once. But no! He mocked them and said they had a lying spirit. And he told Ahab he would be killed if he went to battle. Of all the nerve! We’ll see how long he keeps singing that tune. Ahab put him in prison on bread and water!
Isn’t that Ahab’s chariot coming into the city? But where’s the king? Oh, no! King Ahab is lying in the chariot in a pool of blood! He’s dead, isn’t he? Look at that arrow. Wow, that must have been some shot – got him right between the joints in his armor. How do you suppose that happened?
You know, I just hate it when someone is narrow-minded. But I hate it even more when he’s right!
Song: “Stand up, stand up for Jesus”
Prayer: Father, the world pressures us to go along with sinful things. Please strengthen us that we may walk faithfully on the narrow way that leads to life. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Joe Slater (Justin, TX)