Knowledge puffs up while love builds up.
1 Corinthians 8:1 NIV
Knowledge is a beautiful thing. To know a person, to understand a little of what makes her tick and what she likes and doesn’t like, is part of constructing a relationship. You ask questions and listen to answers because you want to know: Who are you—you, sitting there—living, breathing, talking, walking, doing, going, human being?
But knowing is not the same as loving. And knowledge you hold on to too tightly or depend on too much can sometimes raise a wall between you and another instead of building a bridge. In that moment when you claim, “Oh yes, I see how you are,” instead of confessing, “Oh yes, I see how we are alike,” a wall begins to go up.
Paul cautioned the Corinthians not to dedicate so much time to attaining knowledge. Knowledge can puff you up full of pride and suppositions, full of your own views about the world. You learn to the point you think you know it all, and then you shut out anyone else’s opinions.
But love builds up, imparts humility. Love cultivates in you a desire to understand more—to always ask another question, see another side, walk another mile in someone else’s shoes.
If you think you know something, you should think again. And maybe, try loving instead.
God, keep me humble. Knock me down if I get too full of myself. Amen.
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Today’s reading was adapted from Daily Wisdom for Women: 2018 Devotional Collection with permission from Barbour Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. Reading was written by Marian Leslie.