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Dear Friends: Have you ever been in a crowd of people where everyone is quoting philosophers or scripture or their own opinions with such confidence and conviction that you felt inadequate to interact with them? I have. I don’t read newspapers very thoroughly or follow the network newscasts. So, there are many times when people have impassioned discussions about politics or current events and I am simply lost, absolutely in the dark. It’s hard to have a conversation with people who have obvious and well thought out opinions on a subject that I had not yet heard about. So, I will nod a lot and ask a few questions and allow those who are more knowledgeable to carry the conversation forward. I have to say, though, that seldom does my awareness of lack of knowledge in this arena motivate me to go home and watch the news! Then there is the whole world of theology in which I dabble like a child doing finger painting in the same studio where Van Gogh is creating masterpieces. I love learning about God and his ways in our world. I love reading the Bible including all the footnotes, the commentaries, and books that offer lots of perspectives and opinions on the passage at hand. But then I listen to a great Bible teacher or read a well-thought out spiritual book and I realize how little I know and how minimally I am trained in theological understandings. But, in this case, my lack of knowledge spurs me on to learn more, to dig deeper, and to understand all that I can given the limits of time and brain capacity. In spite of the recognition of my intellectual inadequacies, I am overwhelmed with encouragement when I read the Bible and discover God’s perspective on the knowledge that really matters: First, it’s more about who I know that what I know. A wise biblical writer acknowledges the limit of human understanding when he says, “When I determined to load up on wisdom and examine everything taking place on earth, I realized that if you keep your eyes open day and night without even blinking, you’ll still never figure out the meaning of what God is doing on this earth.” (Ecclesiastes 8:17). He may be right, but there is an understanding that I cannot get by studying. The kind of knowledge that really matters is the knowledge that only God can give me. And I have access to that knowledge because, as unbelievable as it sounds, he chooses to share his heart and mind with me. In fact, it appears that we, as seekers of God, have inside information from the one who knows it all. Look at these verses and see if you agree:
I think it is important that we not let those who are wise in the ways and philosophies of this world make us feel inferior in our knowledge. I believe we have the responsibility to learn and to absorb what we can about God, his word, and his world, but we don’t have to know it all in order to be wise. Real wisdom comes from having a willing and obedient heart and being open to the understanding that God’s Spirit will give us. We really do have an inside track. Let’s take full advantage of it! Second, God’s knowledge of me is more important than my knowledge of him. A famous philosopher, Rene Descartes, tried to reason his way to wisdom. He figured out that he might be deceived about many things. Perhaps the world did not really exist and some greater being just created a virtual world that Descartes thought was there, but really wasn’t. Maybe his own body was only a product of his imagination with the thought of its existence having been planted in his mind by a deceiving spirit. After months of contemplation, Descartes concluded that he knew only one thing: He was able to hold thoughts in his mind. His summary statement is well known, “I think, therefore, I am.” You know what? After all that thinking and reasoning and studying, he still got it wrong. But, with God’s help, the simple shepherd-king David of Israel got it right. In Psalm 139, he talks about the fact that God’s thoughts toward him are precious and they are many (v.17). In other words, God is thinking good thoughts about him all time. Then David goes on to say that even when he is asleep, God is thinking about him. He concludes, “When I awake, I am still with you.” (v. 18/NIV). David seems to be amazed that even when his mind is in neutral and he cannot consciously think about God, God is still having countless thoughts about him, and, therefore, when he wakes up, he is still connected to God. I think David might have rephrased Descartes’ conclusion this way, “God thinks, therefore, I am.” Paul, in his letter to the Galatians, captures the same thought in a different way, “But now that you know the real God – or rather since God knows you . . .” (Galatians 4:9a, italics mine). He almost corrects his original thought that we could even think we know God, and indicates that the opposite is the real truth: God knows us. Aren’t you glad that...
So, let’s not allow people around us make us feel dumb or ill-prepared or uneducated. Instead, let’s learn what we can about God, his word, and his world and enjoy our relationship day by day with him. The rest, in many ways, is just details. Have a great time this April as spring begins to warm the earth and our bodies and God’s Spirit warms our souls. And feel free to let me know your thoughts on wisdom and knowledge. I would love to hear from you! Blessings, Bev P.S. All scripture quotations are taken from The Message unless otherwise indicated. |
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