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The Most Important Thing I Know

Three of the hardest words for me to say are these: “I don’t know.”

I hate saying it, and yet I know how much I don’t know… I just don’t want YOU to know how much I don’t know!

One of my professors in seminary (Dr. Garth Rossell) once said, “The larger the island of knowledge, the longer the shoreline of ignorance.” I’ve always remembered that, because it’s so true. The more you learn, the more you discover you have no idea. I think that’s why I like education and reading so much, because there’s always another question to ask and another perspective to discover.

But, ultimately, we weren’t created to know everything. We were made to know it all. That’s why it’s so humbling to confess “I don’t know” – it’s a recognition that I’m not God, I’m not omniscient, and I have very limited knowledge. Ever since Eden we’ve wanted God’s place, and we’ve been tempted to think we know more than we really do.

Tomorrow is my defense for my doctoral thesis, and tonight I’m reminded that the most important thing I know is this…

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.(John 3:16-17)

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Tell Yourself the Truth (About Yourself)

Lies are dangerous.  But the most dangerous of all are the ones you tell yourself.

It takes courage to tell yourself the truth about yourself.  It takes greater courage to tell the truth about yourself to a trusted friend in order to seek help to change those things that need changing.  Sometimes, we also need someone else to watch our back to make sure we keep the good and healthy parts what makes you “you” going and growing.

When you read Scripture and seek God through prayer and when you experience the kind of biblical fellowship that involves a brother or sister speaking the truth to you in love… will you listen, or will you defend yourself even if it means believing a lie about yourself.

Godliness and humility lead us to being honest about who we really are.  When we talk about “Speaking the truth in love” we usually think about speaking the truth to someone else in love.  But make sure you’re speaking the truth to yourself in love too.

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A Biblical Foundation for Life

How we live matters… Deeply.

It matters so much it has eternal ramifications. What we do really truly matters.

I have always loved the book of Ecclesiastes because it has such a simple way of putting life into perspective. “Meaningless, meaningless, everything is meaningless” is a common refrain throughout the book. Lovely, right? How encouraging and uplifting. I don’t like the book for its positive effects; I appreciate it for it’s word of caution. I often find myself reading through Ecclesiastes on my birthday, helping me to remember how easy it would be for me to waste my life… Afterall, who wants to live a meaningless life?  Not I!

The Hebrew word (hbl) that’s translated as “Meaningless” is a word that more literally means “vapor, breath, vanity.” I don’t want my life to be as significant as my breath on a cold morning.  I want to build on a foundation that is secure and enduring. Thankfully, the author of Ecclesiastes wants the same for me, and he urges his readers thus, (Ecclesiastes 12:1, 13-14)

Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come and the years draw near of which you will say, “I have no pleasure in them…. The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil.

I choose to build on God’s revealed Word, for it is the only inspired and authoritative Word of God given to man. By it we discover who God is, who we are, what God has done, what He is going to do, and what He expects of us.  Holy Scripture is the only sure foundation that I trust to build on. This doesn’t mean it’s the only book I read or consider, but it means all others are measured by that Book.

If God has spoken, I want to make sure to listen.  As this blog gets under way, I hope you’ll listen along with me…

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