I’ve spent my entire adult life accumulating knowledge in multiple areas and disciplines—including my faith. I was laser-focused on stimulating my mind. Filling my brain. Growing my understanding. I thought it was serving me well, but God pointed out its errant course by teaching me that I had misused my learning by focusing it INWARD. I had combined the “RIGHT FACTS” with a “WRONG HEART.”
It stopped my life in its tracks. I could see then that I had fallen for a temptation that started a couple of thousand years ago. Here’s how the Apostle Paul put it to the people of Corinth:
“…all of us have knowledge that puffs a person up with pride; but love builds up. Those who think they know something really don’t know as they ought to know. But the person who loves God is known by him.” 1 Corinthians 8:1-3
Paul is speaking to those people who have their facts and theology right but hearts wrong because they LACK LOVE. He is stressing that knowledge is essential, but not enough by itself to live a Christ-like life of purpose.
Put simply…knowledge puffs up and LOVE builds up.
Paul is confronting the danger of not building up those people we encounter in life. The danger of making them feel unworthy or worthless. The danger of not inspiring them to love others.
This is a case where our knowledge DESTROYS, and our “greatness” is worthless if we are not building up the people we touch. Our knowledge must be pressed into the service of love for Christ and compassion for others—helping not hurting.
I committed then to subordinate my quest for knowledge and elevate my work to establish an intimate relationship with Jesus that would reveal my purpose and activate its ministry to OTHERS (Philippians 2:5-11).
God wants us to learn and grow, of course. But he mandates that we LOVE others–as the top priority–at the same time.
It makes sense. Jesus’ entire ministry was characterized by love. The greatest demonstration of that love was the sacrifice he made for all of us on the cross at Calvary (Romans 5:8)
I ask God to teach me every day to love him and to love others the way he would have me love. To help me genuinely see others through his loving eyes. To stay committed to honoring him by sharing his love everywhere I go and with everyone I meet.
WHAT ABOUT YOU?
Are you loving while you’re learning and growing in Christ? Is your burden to love others and a broken world getting stronger as you mature spiritually?
“…all of us have knowledge that puffs a person up with pride; but love builds up. Those who think they know something really don’t know as they ought to know. But the person who loves God is known by him.” 1 Corinthians 8:1-3
