Look for Open-Minded People

Paul and Silas made it to the city of Berea where they encountered people who were open to truth.

And the people of Berea were more open-minded than those in Thessalonica, and they listened eagerly to Paul’s message. They searched the Scriptures day after day to see if Paul and Silas were teaching the truth. ¹² As a result, many Jews believed, as did many of the prominent Greek women and men. Acts 17:11-12 (NLT)

Most of the Jewish leaders had already made up their minds to reject Jesus and his teachings. Such closed mindedness blinded them to the beauty and truth of his words and the testimony of his many miracles. They imagined that they were the custodians of truth whose job was to root out those who had veered away from their teachings, not realizing that their teachings had long since departed from God’s heart.

And He said to them, “Rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written: ‘THIS PEOPLE HONORS ME WITH THEIR LIPS, BUT THEIR HEART IS FAR AWAY FROM ME. 7 ‘BUT IN VAIN DO THEY WORSHIP ME, TEACHING AS DOCTRINES THE PRECEPTS OF MEN.’ Mark 7:6–7 (NASB95)

Humble open-minded people are willing to consider an idea and check out its validity for themselves. Instead of being manipulated by those who hated Paul and the gospel, the Bereans examined the Scriptures to see if the gospel’s claims were true.

Jesus described this sort of people in his famous parable of the sower.

And the seeds that fell on the good soil represent honest, good-hearted people who hear God’s word, cling to it, and patiently produce a huge harvest. Luke 8:15 (NLT)