1 Corinthians 8:1-13
"Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. Anyone who claims to know something does not yet have the necessary knowledge; but anyone who loves God is known by him."
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When you spend time reading the Bible every day, as I have been this past couple weeks of Lent, every once in awhile you run across some strange things. For the past week, one of the lessons each day has come from Paul's first letter to the Corinthians. I enjoy reading these letters from Paul because, although an Apostle and Saint, you see a very human side of him. You see the things he may have been struggling with at the time he wrote the letter.
This section of 1 Corinthians deals with a multitude of topics ranging from marriage and divorce to sex and man-woman relations as well as foods to eat or not eat. At times, it seems to be a random stream of consciousness as he tries to address either questions the people of Corinth had for him, issues they were dealing with or just things Paul had on his heart at the time. However, within these sets of rules and thoughts which seem to run on and on, there are sparkling jewels of wisdom.
Knowledge and Love.
When we say we "know" something or someone, how does that statement differ from when we say we "love" something or someone? Do you know ice cream or do you love ice cream (I love ice cream!). When you stand in awe of a beautiful spring morning, bursting with promise (those days are coming soon, my friends!), do you say "I know Spring" or do you say "I LOVE Spring!"? These are very different statements.
Knowledge of a thing or of a person is important. Saying "I know David" makes a statement to others that you likely (1) recognize him when he walks in the room, (2) understand in some small way how he relates to the world around him, and (3) that you maybe even have an idea of what he thinks about certain topics or issues. Knowledge almost becomes a possession, of sorts. As Paul said, it "puffs you up"; your knowledge makes you full, in some way (many would say, full of "it").
To say you love something is obviously very different. Now, I know people today throw around the word love in many ways and often without thought, but I am talking about the way we use it when we are deeply appreciative, in awe or fully connected to the joy that is the essence of that thing we love. Love is a sign of weakness, of sorts. It is why, I think, being in love is described at times as "weak in the knees" or "faint of heart". It represents a "giving over" of yourself to that thing or that person. By saying we love something or someone, we are in essence taking a piece of ourselves and handing it over to be cared for. We are, as they say, "putting it out there". When we say "I love...", we are assigning a value that is above all else.
Do you know God or do you love God?
I will admit, as I have moved through the daily walk of my Faith over many years, there are times I have said to myself, "OK. I think I get it. I know God. I know what He is doing. I know what He wants from me. I know what His work in the world is accomplishing." This 'knowing' has made me feel very secure of my place in creation, of my relationship with God. I felt that by 'knowing' God, I was in some way residing in a deeper form of faith. But, by saying "I know God", I have made Him a possession, of sorts. By saying this, I am almost putting myself as an equal to Him...and this is a very dangerous place to be.
When I change my point of view to "I love God", I become a part of Him in a very different way. Love does not pretend to represent an understanding, a knowledge or some empirical awareness of all things that are of God. By loving God, I am saying to Him, "here is my heart, I trust You with its care and comfort".
So, stated very simply....Love. Love your friends, love your children, love your family, love Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter. Love God. Give yourself over to the weakness that represents your trust in that relationship. For in the weakness of this love, we are built up and made immeasurably strong.
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