Old proverb.  Timeless truth.  Especially in the Christian world.  When we open ourselves up to the things of God, we get even more understanding.  When we harden our hearts and disobey, our understanding decreases.  Read this strange verse:

“(All the people, even the tax collectors, when they heard Jesus’ words, acknowledged that God’s way was right, because they had been baptized by John.  But the Pharisees and experts in the law rejected God’s purpose for themselves, because they had not been baptized by John.)”

Those who had been baptized by John’s baptism of repentance, received even more when they heard Jesus’ teaching and were able to acknowledge His words as right.  Those who had rejected John’s baptism of repentance could not see God’s good purposes for them, because they had already hardened their heart with John.

I think this is also reflected when Jesus speaks to them in parables.  When they disciples ask why he does, he tells them,

“The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to others I speak in parables, so that