“Because you say, ‘I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing,’ and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked,…” There’s only one thing worse than ignorance and that’s being ignorant of one’s ignorance. It’s one thing to be ignorant. That’s forgivable, even fixable. But the ignorant man who thinks he’s not, well, that’s a problem. That guy may be a danger to himself and to all within his misguided realm of influence. Avoid him.
The Bible has a name for the person who is unaware of his own ignorance. He is called a fool. Fools are easy to spot. They cannot help themselves. Fools display their ignorance. Most people fully understand that if they don't know what they are talking about it’s best to keep quiet. The fool knows no such restraint.
“A fool… delights in airing his own opinions.”
Proverbs 18.2
A certain level of ignorance is tolerable, even expected. I cannot know everything. I may be ignorant of certain matters, but I don’t need to act foolish. I can accept that I am occasionally ignorant. I just want to know when I am. May God enlighten me to my own ignorance and protect me from the way of the fool who thinks he knows what he doesn’t and thereby becomes his own ultimate authority.
“He who trusts in himself is a fool.”
Proverbs 28.26
May the Lord keep me ever aware of my limitations and inadequacies. I pray that I will know when I am “wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked.” Jesus, expose my ignorance to me that I may keep from exposing it to everyone else. Teach me to shut up more often than I speak up.
“Blessed is the man who has nothing to say… and cannot be persuaded to say it.”
____________________
Purchase Scott Adam's 18th book When Did Ignorance Become a Point of View? at http://thedilbertstore.com/products/65412-when-did-ignorance-become-a-point-of-view.
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5 comments:
Thanks Dave.
I believe the secular saying goes something like this:
"Better to remain quiet and be thought a fool than to open one's mouth and remove all doubt."
--ANONYMOUS
Some thoughts I had on chapter # 3:
"He who overcomes will, like them, be dressed in white."
----vs 5
"Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come upon the whole world to test those who live on the earth."
----vs 10
"Him who overcomes I will make a pillar in the temple of my God."
----vs 12
:To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my father on his throne."
----vs 21
There seems to be a common theme here. We are either awake or asleep, dead or alive, lukewarm or on fire. Three times in this chapter we are instructed to "overcome" and an additional time we are instructed to "endure." How long have I lived with this tension? The constant pull between the world and the word of God? How long have I been tempted to fall into luke-warmness and I'll use the word: be a "poser" rather than being authentic and authentically on fire for Christ. I believe this to be the spiritual battle of my life. For some it is sexual purity. For others, it may be pride. Still, for others, lusting after worldly goods and therefore becoming unfruitful for the kingdom. (I'm not implying I am sin-free in these areas, but rather that my main battle is against luke-warmness)
Anyone can purchase fire insurance, but the question for me is simple: Am I or am I not on fire for Christ? Am I truly sold out? When the day is done, will I have "overcome"?
I believe this is the reason I became ill in the first place, so I could be shaken out of the slumber I was in. So I could be brought to the end of myself and truly be awakened for Christ. For me this will be a daily battle. Just like the alcoholic who prays:
"Dear Lord, please help me to say no to alcohol. Help me take it one day at a time."
I would guess that on some level we are all like that. We are all like addicts who can only pray on a daily basis to be delivered from that which would ensnare us and enslave us. So today I will pray:
"Dear Lord, please save me from the sin of luke-warmness. Please deliver me from focusing on my own selfish desires and help me live for you alone--one day at a time."
---CEDAR MILL MADNESS
great insights about the temptation toward lukewarmness. Thanks CMM.
Dave
Dave,
You appear to isolate yourself by
focusing on Isaac, and I look also
toward Ishmael for the more comprehensive view.
Read our History post if you seek to confront today's grim reality.
Jihad is your family's future.
Your comments are most welcome. reb
www.lazyonebenn.blogspot.com
Snake Hunters:
Maybe you're right. Perhaps I do isolate myself. I reviewed both Snake Hunters and lazyonebenn. There is a lot for me to learn.
I am certain that the conflict you address has its source in the supernatural realm of darkness. As a believer, I have been given authority over demonic forces of evil from Jesus Christ Himself who said:
"Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. He who has believed and been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned. These signs will accompany those who have believed: in My name they will cast out demons, they will speak with new tongues; they will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover" (Mark 16.15-18).
Faith in Jesus Christ and His promise of eternal life is the ultimate and only real answer.
Dave
Great post Dave. Thanks for sharing!!
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