In my opinion, we all hold our opinions too highly.

God’s word is very clear about a number of things that affect our behavior and decisions– the Lordship of Jesus, how to become a Christian, the essentiality of the church, and many other matters. In those areas where God’s word and will is clearly understood our opinions no longer matter. We must submit our will to the will of God. It is not always easy to do that but we have the supreme example of our Savior asking God to remove the cup of suffering he was going to endure on the cross. Even Jesus had to pray “Yet not my will, but yours be done” (Luke 22:42)

The Scriptures command many things that we are to obey but the manner in which we fulfill that command may not be specifically spelled out. In those areas we are free to obey them as we determine. For example, we are commanded to “sing songs, hymns, and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God” How many songs should we sing at church services? What do we sing - Gospel, contemporary, classic Hymns, Gregorian Chants, Handel’s Messiah? We all probably have opinions about those things. What time should we have services and how long should they be?

There are many areas in which decisions are made and I may not agree with those decisions. Satan can use our strongly held opinions to hold back the church from reaching a lost world and even to harm relationships to the point of dividing God’s church. How are we to handle our opinions in a Godly manner?

First, we must understand that our opinions are a disputable matter and we must avoid the temptation to judge other’s motives or spirituality for having different opinions (Romans 14). Second, we must be respectful when expressing those opinions. Third, leaders (at all levels) “should not lord it over” others and should themselves seek advice from others. Fourth, we must “make every effort to keep the unity of the spirit and the bond of peace” (Eph 4:3). I must not let my opinions disrupt the unity God desires in His church.

But most importantly we must learn how to submit our will to the will of God in this area by submitting our opinions to those of others. Ephesians 5:20 “ Submit (adapt) to one another out of reverence for Christ” Heb 13:17 “obey (be willing to be persuaded, believe, yield to, trust) your leaders and submit (resist no longer, give way, yield) to their authority. In order for the family of God, or your immediate family, to function, decisions need to be made. When those decisions are made, I need to submit to those decisions and make every effort to see that they are successful. We expect that at home. The elders of this congregation and I do not always agree. But once a decision is made, we all get behind it with a spirit of unity and cooperation. No one will ever know that we may have had different views when we discussed the matter privately together because we work hard “to keep the unity of the spirit”.

That is what we should all be willing to do – give our input, respectfully listen to each other, yield to decisions that are made even when I don’t agree, and make “every effort” to keep my opinions from making a fool of me!

“A fool finds no pleasure in understanding But delights in airing his own opinions” Proverbs 18:2