The Trap of Being “Open-Minded”

The Trap of Being "Open-Minded" | Millennials with Meaning
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I believe one of the lies that pervades our society today is that we must always be open-minded.

As my favorite toddler likes to retort, “No. Not.”

No! I don’t want to be open-minded about anything but those things that align with the Word of God. I don’t want to be open-minded about anything but the truth.

“Swayable” and “persuadable” are two synonyms of “open-minded,” according to thesaurus.com. I don’t want to be swayable. I want to be resolute about what the Lord has said. I want to stand firm on his truth without wavering!

If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.

James 1:5-8 NIV

Why would I willingly open my mind to something that isn’t true? That isn’t noble? That isn’t right? That isn’t pure?

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

Philippians 4:8 NIV

We must use wisdom. We don’t have to fear new things or different viewpoints or the media; God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind.

For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

2 Timothy 1:7 NKJV

We must, however, use discernment. It is our responsibility to use the minds God gave us and protect them. It is our responsibility to meditate on the truth (the Word of God) so that we readily recognize the lies and can choose not to agree with them.

It is our choice not to feed our minds with information that goes against God’s truth.

It is a choice to protect our minds.

No, I do not think we should always be open-minded. I think that is a lie from the enemy that gets us to open doors to deceit and sin. Being open-minded about anything and everything is dangerous.

If something weakens your faith, don’t watch it! Don’t listen to it!

If the news fills you with fear and doubt, turn it off, and pick up your Bible!

If social media turns you into an insecure, competitive monster, deactivate it and ask God what he thinks about you.

You don’t need to watch Game of Thrones “with an open mind” because everyone says it’s such a great show. You don’t need to listen to Cardi B “with an open mind” in case there’s some redemptive quality to her music. You don’t have to listen to a preacher who believes there’s no hell “with an open mind” – the Bible is already clear on this issue. Hell is real, and you don’t need to plant any doubt in your soul about what God has already made plain in his Word.

We don’t need to constantly stick our fingers in our ears and go, “La, la, la; I can’t hear you!” We do need to exercise our God-given wisdom and discernment and know when to tune into another station.

Don’t believe the lie that you need to be open-minded in every situation. Be kind, be loving…and be discerning. Be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.

“Listen carefully: I am sending you out like sheep among wolves; so be wise as serpents, and innocent as doves [have no self-serving agenda].

Matthew 10:16 AMP

What you allow into your soul is a CHOICE. Choose those things that honor and bring glory to God. Reject those things that don’t. End of story.

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