Do you 'own' it, or do you 'experience' it?

I find there are just some individuals you cannot reason with - no matter what 'tact' you take, you will always be challenged by their arguments to the contrary. The fool just won't accept correction, much less be open to change. Those of us who have spent time attempting to change the mindset of the fool will be the first to admit there just isn't any argument we can present that will budge them from their own belief that they are correct in their way of thinking about things. In fact, they'd just as soon argue their foolish beliefs than to budge from them. Argue as they might, their beliefs are still not correct, but it will take the work of one greater than us to convince them otherwise!

If you reason with an arrogant cynic, you’ll get slapped in the face; confront bad behavior and get a kick in the shins. So don’t waste your time on a scoffer; all you’ll get for your pains is abuse. But if you correct those who care about life, that’s different—they’ll love you for it! Save your breath for the wise—they’ll be wiser for it; tell good people what you know—they’ll profit from it. Skilled living gets its start in the Fear-of-God, insight into life from knowing a Holy God. It’s through me, Lady Wisdom, that your life deepens, and the years of your life ripen. Live wisely and wisdom will permeate your life; mock life and life will mock you. (Proverbs 9:10 MSG)

The opposite is true of the one on the path of light. Although all our beliefs and values may not 'perfectly' align with the Word of God yet, we are on that pathway to discovering the folly in our wrong beliefs! The wise aren't going to argue their unwise beliefs for long - they will eventually see there is another side to the story that needs to be considered and embraced. The wise will forsake their wrong beliefs - sometimes not without a little battle to get to that point - but they will eventually realize just how wrong they have been. When that times comes, laying aside the wrong belief isn't hard because the wise want to embrace truth.

Truth sets us free - but we have to want truth in our lives. We can wear any amount of 'armor' we desire to protect us from truth, but truth will always be penetrate that armor! We don't 'escape truth' as it is everywhere around us in all of God's creation. There is but one God - creator of all that exists. There is but one way into truth and light - through the Son of God - Christ himself. Nothing else will penetrate the armor of our foolish beliefs quite like the truth of God and the light of his Spirit. The moment we are touched by truth, we are changed. The fool is won over by our arguments of faith, but through a life revealing truth at every turn.

Depth in our lives isn't a matter of age - it is a matter of being immersed. The one 'in the pool' is much wetter than the one who knows there is a pool in the backyard! Immerse yourself in the light of Christ and your life will be deeper than ever before. Immerse yourself in the illusion owning a pool makes you a swimmer in the pool and you will be no more than a fool who owns a pool! We can have access to light, but if we never immerse our hearts, minds, and spirits in that light, we are never going to learn the benefits of that light. It is one thing to 'own' or 'have' some truth - it is quite another thing for truth to become the thing that influences all your actions. Just sayin!