1 Corinthians 8:1 "Knowledge puffs up but love builds up"
These seven words have been haunting and challenging me for about two weeks now. The phrase can not escape my thoughts and it continually steals my attention. My whole life it has always been a great battle to get a message passed the logical part of my brain and to seep into my heart. I would hear a message or a challenge and just think about it and save it in the back of my mind. Usually what ended happening was whenever someone else would voice their troubles or concerns I would think or perhaps say "if only you understood this about God or all you have to do is this". There would rarely be compassion and understanding but rather most of the time I would stand there in pride at how much further I was with my understanding of God and christianity leaving the person no better off and I would still not be changed by the truths I possessed in my mind. So fast forward to a couple weeks ago I was reading the Bible because someone had told me about the gospel of Christ and what the implication of having a relationship with God through Christ means for me as a Christian. This sparked my curiosity and so I thought I would read the Bible for myself to see if God really does see me as a new creation holy, blameless, perfect, and pure. Well it turns out that he does and I couldn't be more excited. During this search through the New Testament I found the verse mention above about knowledge versus love and it really struck a nerve. I begin to re-evaluate my previous motives for learning about God. For that is exactly what I had been doing with my life learning interesting things about God so I could in my pride prove to people I was an awesome christian who had everything together and knew all the answers. But that is not what God wants he wants me to know Him not about Him. So lately with every conversation I have, bible study i attend, or sermon I listen to God brings up the verse "Knowledge puffs up but love builds up" to remind me I need to love Him and others not continue to try to prove myself to Him. I will never be good enough in my own strength that is why Christ came to take my sin and make me a new creation.