Heart Knowledge
"Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up."
1 Corinthians 8:1b (NIV)
A local hospital has launched a new branding campaign with "knowledge" as its central theme. Throughout the city, billboards have been strategically placed with catchy phrases which read:
Knowledge is powerful medicine.
Knowledge heals.
Knowledge that will change your world.
It is certainly true that when we or one of our loved ones is sick, we want a health care provider who is knowledgeable. If our diagnosis is wrong, the treatment plan as well as the desired outcome will probably also be wrong.
In his letters to the early churches, the Apostle Paul constantly warned believers to guard against false teachers, to know and practice the truth of doctrinal essentials. But Paul's emphasis was never on knowledge for knowledge's sake. Instead Paul writes that the Christian's ultimate goal is not knowledge, but love. Writing to the Ephesians, Paul said "love surpasses knowledge." (Ephesians 3:19) Writing to the Corinthians, Paul penned, "Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up." (1 Corinthians 8:1)
Five chapters before Paul wrote his great "love" essay in 1 Corinthians 13, Paul contrasts the difference between knowledge and love. Knowledge lends itself toward pride and a focus on self; love builds and always places others before self. Paul's summary of what love does consists of three words: Love builds up. It doesn't tear down; it always builds.
The concept of building is a very important one throughout the Bible. Christ speaks of building His church. (Matthew 16:18) God is described as the architect and builder of the heavenly city with foundations. (Hebrews 11:10) Created in God's image, we are called to build as well. But practically how do we do that?
We build with our actions, attitudes, and most of all, our words. We build when we:
Accept
Affirm
Demonstrate affection
Are available
Are accessible
And just as importantly: we tear down with our actions, attitudes and words.
It's been said that there are 16 inches between our heads and hearts. But what a world of difference that 16 inches makes! With our heads, we can know the right thing to do. But until we apply that head knowledge becomes heart knowledge, our lives won't change. When our head knowledge becomes heart knowledge, however, our lives are transformed. The result is indeed a changed world, not just for us, but for those around us.
So what about you? Are you building up or tearing down?
May all of us be such builders that our lives will literally be written with the message of Christ's love. Lives which read:
Love is powerful medicine;
Love heals;
Love that will change your world.
For His glory,
Donna