Jesus Culture – I Want To Know You

“To know” means more about experiential knowledge, not just cognitive knowledge. It is all about the intellectual assimilation and practical use of what is acquired.

To know wisdom and instruction,
    to understand words of insight. – Proverbs 1:2  ESV

“To know” includes mental awareness of who God is and the consequential submission to His lordship. To know Him is to obey Him. I am being called to a life of trust and obedience in which every disciple of Jesus see Him in every event and rely on Him. When I acknowledge (know) the Lord in every event means I will trust and obey Him for guidance in right conduct.

When it comes to “instruction” I have seen different translations use “correction” and “discipline.” Being wise requires a discipleship type relationship that involves someone warning, rebuking and telling me when to turn around. I have not met anyone who does not like the idea of being wise, but it would seem the path to that also includes rebuke and I have seen many not able to handle that well – including me. If I am going to be wise, I must humbly recognize that I am not always there and need to submit to wise counsel. Ultimately, I must submit to the Lord Himself if I want to be wise.

I like Proverbs style of delivery. With commands, whether positive admonitions or negative prohibitions, they are supported with reasons. Reasons move the teacher away from the stance of an authoritative expert to that to a persuader. Sometimes it is as simple as challenging the learner to think through the issue but at the end to be ready to face the realisation that there is a need to obey the command because it is a wise thing to do. So the teacher becomes more of the spiritual director and their role becomes one of countering the natural aimlessness of the learner.

“Left to themselves, beginners flounder from one extreme to the other. The experienced sage can establish lines by which the disciple can develop the self-control necessary for the good ends in view.” – J. Eaton

With all of this, it is safe to assume that a wise person has never really attained, but in fact understands they have “not attained” and are in fact pressing on.  I suppose I grow the most by hearing.  Hearing establishing a personal relationship with the speaker but also provides the example of how I should teach, for I believe all hearers become teachers. If I teach before I hear, I will soon be bankrupt. The longer I learn, the more I feel like a learner and the more ready I am to hear and thereby know more.