Living Life by Design

I’ve been blessed to have some very intelligent friends in my life. They are often sources of great insight but also can be a stumbling block. When you share wisdom from the heart it can be like pouring water on a dirt clod and discovering you have a precious stone. However, when you share knowledge from the head (and simply enjoy hearing yourself talk) it leads to pride and a ‘know-it-all’ superiority. ‘Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up’ (1 Corinthians 8:1).

Love is more important than knowledge. When God measures a person, he puts the tape round the heart, not the head. 

Knowledge can so often lead to pride and arrogance: ‘Those who think they know something do not yet know as they ought to know” (v.2). What really matters in life is loving God and living a life of love: ‘But whoever loves God is known by God’ (v.3). 

Of course, knowledge itself is not a bad thing. It too is a gift from God. However, ‘Knowledge is like underwear – it’s useful to have, but not necessarily to show off.” Instead of trying to impress family, friends, co-workers, employees, ‘others’ with what we know, always try to encourage and build people in love.