To Be Known

 1 Corinthians 13 

Scripture: 

For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. 

And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity. (1Cor. 13:12-13) 

Observation: 

Last week in Chapter 8 we talked about how knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.  This section of scripture today picks up this same theme and rolls it around for us, looking at both in comparison and uses a tricksy English word to do it!  Let me show you what I mean: 

Knowledge, strict and logical that doesn't have compassion or empathy, (even if it is morally right or legal) is worthless.  That's why in chapter 8 the older Christians who were eating meat sacrificed to false gods were in the wrong - because it was putting their puffed up knowledge of "that has no power over me" above the younger Christians who were still fresh from that very thing; it still had a great deal of power over them and was causing them to be confused and upset.  

 Paul is still using this theme and describes the nature and attributes of compassionate love for one another as it is played out in our every day.  I can almost hear him say: "Here's what it looks like guys, just in case you need it 'logically' and clearly spelled out for you."  (never mind for a moment that it's used in nearly every wedding program - try to read the subtext under the poetic verse) 

But this same word - knowledge - he now turns on it's ear to describe how when God uses it properly, knowledge with love, he brings all that compassion and understanding into an intimacy with us that is characterized as full of acceptance.  In effect, building us up.  

Application: 

We are such selfish children at heart.  We push God away like an angry toddler and say "I do!"  Or, if you'd like to put it in current colloquialism "I got this" and because God IS love, anything done without him is all on our own resources.  Resources that are constantly taxed with worry, stress, distraction and the very selfishness that pushed us away from Him in the first place.  It's a resource that is left isolated with our own limited one-point-perspective knowledge. 

If, instead of pushing away from him we hold up our arms like a toddler to be picked up, then we get his perspective on our situation.  We see it from a higher angle and gain more knowledge to bear on our troubles.  A knowledge made more intimate because of the quality of that love-filled knowledge that is the very character of God.  The hurts of the world hurt less when we are cuddled against Daddy.  It's easier to be compassionate on others when His intimate knowledge of us takes the sting out of their misunderstanding of us. 

   

Prayer: 

Lord, we can make such complicated messes of our lives.  I pray that your Spirit helps us to reduce all those muddy complications down to the simplest of toddler choices:  "I Do!" or "Daddy, I Hold You!"  Our pride to do it on our own is constantly at war with the dependency necessary to bring love into our life and spill it out onto others.  Help us to discern when we are stepping away from you.   Amen.