Initiate meaningful conversation with your family no matter how long the commute with Joe White's age appropriate short talks on scripture, parenting, culture, and community.
Episodes
Monday Jun 03, 2019
Monday Jun 03, 2019
"Humility comes before knowledge. Every time."
Family Discussion:
- Can you give an example of how knowledge can be a blessing and an example of how knowledge can be a curse?
- Have you ever felt like a know-it-all, and if so, what were the results?
Transcription:
00:06 Hey, if you've ever found yourself on the back row of the classroom with me, or in the middle of the defensive land where they say they don't put the sharpest knives in the box, you're going to be encouraged by this one today. First Corinthians chapter 8, verses 1-3. It says this, "now about food sacrifice to idols, we know that we all possess knowledge, but knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. The man who thinks he knows something does not yet know as he ought to know, but the man who loves God is known by God." Well, you know what? Just when I think I know everything, someone asks me a question I can't answer. Here's one that kind of humbles me. What is uglier than the devil? More beautiful than God possessed by the poor and desired by the rich? If you say nothing, then you're smarter than I am.
01:12 Sometimes on the ladder of knowledge, a man must be knocked down a step or two for him to realize how little he truly knows. You know, the universe is a vast vault of secrets, still undiscovered by the world's greatest thinkers, but in First Corinthians 8:1-3 today, Paul wanted the Corinthians to understand that know-it-all's are like party balloons, all puffed up and full of themselves, yet it only takes one simple question, one tiny pinprick for someone's pride to be popped. Then everyone can see him as he truly is, an empty windbag. Paul further shares that loving God is more important than any amount of knowledge. Love builds up. Knowledge can make you look good to others. Knowledge can make you feel good to others, as others might look up to you, but you know what? It's a false sense of security. As we begin to believe we know it all, we developed an arrogant attitude full of self-pride, and usually those with strong personalities and opinions have a hard time learning from others and listening to God.
02:19 You know what, man? That challenge of the Christian life every day is to crucify that sinful mindset. You know what? Love is more important than worldly knowledge, it's the way to grasp God's knowledge. We must love him and show his love to others being compassionate, loving, caring to others, especially in the family. And you gain more ground with an attitude of love than with an attitude of knowing-it-all, as an old friend of mine said one time, he said, the older I get, the less I know for sure. Until you people who are being married, do you want to be married or you want to be right? That's the question you face every day. Hey, knowledge can be a blessing and a curse. Can you give an example of how knowledge can be a blessing and an example of how knowledge can be a curse? And have you ever felt like a know-it-all, and if so, what were the results? Here's the lifeline for today. "Recognize today that your knowledge, though it may be great, is like a grain of sand in the shore of all the knowledge of all time." Humility comes before knowledge. Every time.