“And it came to pass, when the vessels were full, that she said unto her son, Bring me yet a vessel. And he said unto her, There is not a vessel more. And the oil stayed.” 2 Kings 4:6
People talk about whether a glass is half full or half empty, saying that a pessimist sees a glass of water as “half empty”, but an optimist sees it as “half full.” Actually, the glass is always full, partly with water and partly with air. In the same way, that is just like people. All of our minds are full of ideas and opinions on all sorts of subjects. The saying goes that it takes wisdom to see that even if you have a strong opinion on an issue, you do not need to voice it or to pour it out into someone else’s ears, mind and heart. It is important to realise what one person considers a reasonable, well-thought-out point of view, be it in the natural, earthly realm, or on a theological or doctrinal subject, someone else may even label it as heresy.
Now, let us consider again the glass full to the brim with water. If you were to decide that, instead of drinking water, you would like a drink of flavoured squash or cordial, you would have to choose to pour some of the water out in order to pour dilutable squash into the glass. The glass cannot take any more unless there is room created to accept something else. Again, this is a simple example of how we can be when we discuss doctrinal matters with others. If two people are so passionately convinced that what they believe and think on a subject is the one and only opinion to have, and they begin to try to pour their opinion into the other, both will fail from the outset. That is, unless and until one of them is willing to empty out some of their pre-determined mind-set in order to take onboard more information from the other person. If one of those people happen to be you, remember, until that happens, no matter how long you both passionately argue your points of view, in the belief that the louder and longer you shout you will eventually force the listener to accept your point of view, you are both wasting your breath and sowing division until you are willing to be emptied out and have something new poured into you.