Friday, January 13, 2012

JUST WONDERING

This is the picture of an old computer. It is all set up and ready to use. (I know, it is not a nice new one like you have. But it will work.)
Now what is the purpose of a computer? Just to admire? Simply to have one more asset? To play with? (That can be a valid reason, I know.) Something to brag about?
Now I'm not real smart. But I am under the impression that the purpose is to set down at the keyboard, grab the mouse and either start entering data or look up something or other. To put the thing to work for you. Right or wrong?
Huh!
I must be a little on the "geeky" side. Then it is not to tear up and see what makes it tick. You mean I do not have to try and find out the difference between the; motherboard, hard drive, raid controller, video card, fan, heat sink, expansion card, Ram and Rom memory or a processor. You mean the purpose is simply to use it, put it to work?
This is not a plea for ignorance nor neglect of the Word of God. God wants us in his word and he gives us wisdom.
But with all of our Bible study, conferences, seminars etc, we still have one of the most impotent churches on the face of the earth here in this country.
Is it we Christians are too "geeky". We think study and service are synonyms . That godliness is the by product of knowledge.
Let's face it. The heathen could tell us where Mesopotamia is. A pagan could give us the proper way to pronounce Mephibosheth. And an atheist could probable tell us more about Petra than we could.
I would like to suggest that the need is not more scholarship, but more discipleship.
Gene Edwards in his book - Living Close To God When you're Not Good At It - makes a very interesting observation on page 15.
"I am a theologian with more degrees than a thermometer!"
"I come from six generations of complete illiterates - my father and five fathers before him. My Cajun grandfather had a closer walk with the Lord Jesus than any theologian I have ever known. Being a theologian is not in any way a passport to spirituality. In fact, it can be a hindrance."
...
"...the man who had the closest walk with Christ was my utterly illiterate grandfather, a man who could not identify a single letter of his signature."
Just something to think about.

1 comment:

Kathleen said...

Some meaty stuff to chew on here, Luther. I can't help but think of the scrpture that reminds us that "knowledge puffs up", or the one that says "the beginning of wisdom is the fear/respect of the Lord."

" ... the need is not more scholarship, but more discipleship." Isn't THAT the truth?!! The world is very effective in encouraging & leading it's own. It's time the church gave them a run for their money.