To Not Gain Knowledge

The modern world has the tendency of absolutizing the good of knowledge. Knowledge is of course in general better than lack of knowledge.

But many forms of knowledge are of no use or are dangerous to the knower. You see often we wish to know things of which no good can come.

You see gossip often is a form of knowledge where knowledge of which no good can come is shared. You see this is why the bible condemns gossip.

There are many forms of knowledge which are simply of no use. Some people have joked that news may make us stupid. There may be truth in this fact.

If one lives in a large city when we turn on the TV we can expect to hear of multiple shootings, a fire, a few robberies, and a few car crashes. In almost all cases people interviewed about these events give similar accounts of their feelings of them and the change they wish to see happen.

I do see some value in following news, but I see no value in constant news watching. Most of the time we are simply watching the same events unfold in an highly predictable way with different names, places, and locations. I am not diminishing these events but to watch the news is on most days to watch what one already knows statistically is already going on.

Often we delude ourselves that information is knowledge. I believe that most news coverage often falls into the realm of useless information.

News not only is often useless, but it may have a hardening affect. If we are watching news and hear all the suffering in the world are we compelled to act in some small way?

Often news and the vastness of the problem dissuades people from thinking they can help. The problem is too big so they do not take the effort to be a tiny part of a small step in the right direction.

You see we can make a difference. We just need to be humble enough to realize that our contribution may not be huge. We do not need to be a huge hero to make a difference.

It takes humility to accept that we often can only make a small difference and then take the steps as we can in that direction. Many people who wish to save the world become disillusioned and quit when they realize they can only make a small difference and then they make no difference at all.

The Bible's call to love is a call to seek the good of others. The desire to save the world which quickly becomes callused when it realizes the world is not easily saved is usually based on pride and not the Christian call of love. Love is pleased by small differences made even if they bring no recognition to ourselves.

First will be Last

The bible is full of role reversals. The Pharisees are uncovered for their wickedness. A tax collector and prostitute find forgiveness from God.

You get some interesting teaching in scripture repeated many times that "the first will be last" and the "last will be first." What does it mean.

I think it becomes clear in many cases you will see men who push themselves into the spotlight in the church. They are always at the center of being seen doing the "good" which they do.

The reality is that we must always be very careful of showing our good works to the world. Obviously if you volunteer at a Christian event it will be noticed, but obviously there is a difference between serving and serving and then flaunting ones service to the world.

Those who are last are often the humble of heart. Many people do not notice the great good these people are doing simply because they have not wished to flaunt it before men. These are the sincere people of heart who have done good because they have loved God and not because the have loved the praise of men.

Obviously the good we do in the world should hopefully please many people. But sometimes the will of God is to speak the truth and the will of God could lead to displeasing many people.

The reality is that God is the judge of actions and each of us is accountable in the end only to God. Listening to the wisdom of the leaders of the church is of great importance, but only insofar as what they say is in accord to the teaching of God.