Post by Oluwatosin Oni (@oloriireoni)

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL 5 AUGUST 2026 COMMENTARY
MEMORISE: Proverbs 1:5
“A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels.”

Wisdom is not measured by how much you already know, but by how willing you are to learn from others. The truly wise never stop listening, never stop growing, and never stop receiving counsel.

BIBLE READING: Acts 18:24-28
This passage introduces Apollos, an eloquent man mighty in the Scriptures. He taught boldly in the synagogue, but he knew only the baptism of John. When Aquila and Priscilla heard him, they took him aside and expounded the way of God more perfectly. Apollos did not reject their input; he received it and became even more effective, mightily convincing the Jews that Jesus was the Christ. His teachability unlocked greater effectiveness.

The Lantern Cannot See Its Own Bottom
“In Yorubaland, where I come from, the elders have an adage that says, ‘The lantern cannot see its own bottom.’ What they mean by this saying is that, no matter how knowledgeable a fellow is, there are areas in the fellow’s life that will be hidden from his or her view.”

What the Lantern Can See What the Lantern Cannot See
Everything around it Its own bottom—its blind spot
Others’ flaws Its own weaknesses
The path ahead The dirt it carries underneath
“This is why you must be willing to receive feedback from others who can see you more objectively than you can see yourself.”

You cannot see yourself as clearly as others can. Pride says, “I don’t need anyone to tell me anything.” Wisdom says, “Show me what I cannot see.”

The Laodicean Deception: Self-Assessment vs. God’s Assessment
“In Revelation 3:15-17, the Lord said that some people, according to their own judgment, believed they had everything going well for them because they were rich and appeared not to lack anything; however, by His own standards, they were wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked.”

Their Self-Assessment God’s Assessment
“I am rich and increased with goods” “You are wretched”
“I have need of nothing” “You are miserable, poor, blind, naked”
They thought they were standing They were actually falling
“If a person is too proud to receive feedback, people will see the fellow walking towards a ditch and leave him or her to fall into it.”

Prideful Response Wise Response
“I don’t need anyone’s advice” “Show me what I am missing”
“I know what I am doing” “Help me see my blind spots”
People see the ditch but stay silent People warn you because you are teachable
Safety in the Multitude of Counselors
“Proverbs 24:6 says that in the multitude of counsellors, there is safety. People who are open to corrections and feedback tend to escape many troubles, while those who think they know it all often stumble into avoidable problems.”

Proverbs 24:6 – “For by wise counsel thou shalt make thy war: and in multitude of counsellors there is safety.”

Open to Counsel Closed to Counsel
Receives advice and avoids pitfalls Rejects advice and falls
Gains perspective from others Relies only on own perspective
Grows in wisdom Stagnates in ignorance
Jesus: The Wisdom of God, Yet Teachable
“Jesus is described as the wisdom and power of God in 1 Corinthians 1:24, yet when He came to earth, He sat under teachers, listening to them and asking them questions (Luke 2:46-47), and the Bible recorded that He grew in wisdom (Luke 2:52).”

Jesus’ Posture What It Teaches You
He sat under teachers No one is above learning
He asked questions Wisdom seeks understanding
He grew in wisdom Growth is a lifelong process
“He was also open to feedback, as we see in Matthew 16:13-16, where He asked His disciples to tell Him what other men, and even they themselves think of Him.”

What Jesus Asked Why It Matters
“Whom do men say that I am?” He valued external perspective
“Whom say ye that I am?” He invited feedback from those closest to Him
If the Son of God—who is Wisdom itself—submitted to teachers, asked for feedback, and grew in wisdom, how much more should you?

Apollos: The Mighty Teacher Who Was Still Teachable
“In today’s Bible reading, Apollos was already an established teacher of the word before he met Aquilla and Priscilla. When they heard him teach, however, they recognised that he needed further insight and knowledge of God’s word.”

Apollos’ Qualifications What He Still Lacked
Eloquent, mighty in the Scriptures He knew only the baptism of John
Bold teacher in the synagogue He needed the full gospel
Respected and confident He had blind spots
“As a result, they took him aside to expound the way of the Lord to him more perfectly. Submitting to their mentorship and feedback helped Apollos become a better teacher of the word, who mightily proved to the Jews through the Scriptures that Jesus is the Saviour.”

Before Aquila and Priscilla After Aquila and Priscilla
Mighty in the Scriptures Mightily convinced the Jews
Effective teacher Even more effective
https://rccglive.com/open-heaven-5-august/

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