You Know Nothing! You Know Nothing!

Before we get to today’s article, I just want to mention that am writing from the perspective of a man that has experienced many of the challenges of which I write…. and those spiritual battles continue daily. The articles are implications of what it means to obey the commandment to raise your children in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. They require some reflection and are particularly for Christians who, as Peter would say, are diligently seeking to confirm their calling and are making every effort to supplement their faith. Said more succinctly, serious Christians. If you know other believers who desire to walk more faithfully with the Lord, please forward an article to them and tell them to sign up for future articles. Thanks so much!

You Know Nothing! You Know Nothing!

I’m going to transport you back about 40 years to find a young Mike Lee working for what some called an arrogant, obnoxious person. To me, he was not only my boss, but a friend. In some ways he was absolutely charming; in others, a nightmare to deal with. But in any case, I had started in the job and within a year, I was beginning to have the kind of success that made others take notice.

As the months quickly passed, he began to trust me more and listened to what I thought about the business and life. Then, one day after an important discussion, he leaned forward and with a smile on his face, raised his voice, and proclaimed to me and all who were within earshot, “You know nothing! You know nothing!” We laughed together and I thought I understood the motive for his verbal assault, but in fact, I did not.

Now 40 years later, I am just beginning to understand how much truth was carried in his words. Neither of us were Christians so his comment was not based on anything that he had found in the Bible. But he was 16 years my senior and was operating from the well-known fact that wisdom is accumulated over time and experience. I may have proved to be a pretty smart young man and even a fast learner, but because I had not lived for very long, I really didn’t know what I thought I knew, and he was happy to bring the point home- You know nothing!

So, I became a Christian at 36 years old and for the first time, I realized that all I thought I knew just got tossed out the window. And yes, now I knew something (the gospel message) and knowing the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but my old friend’s words landed on me in a new way. I knew nothing! In fact, It was worse than I could have ever imagined.

Let’s get up to date. I have been a Christian 31 years and I thankfully, I do know some things. Now in my 69th year on the planet, I can say that I have had a vast array of experiences- good and bad- during my time, but can I finally shake the declaration my old boss made so many years ago? Do I still know nothing?

So now we arrive at the problem and maybe through my problem, you will find your problem. My problem is that I believe I no longer “Know nothing.” My problem was created because several elements came together to form something nasty. My problem came about because I was well educated, have had many life experiences, including many successes. My problem is, “I know everything.”

Well, I may have lost you so let me explain further. When I say that I believe I know everything, I do not mean that literally. I know that I don’t know everything. I am using hyperbole to make the point that I speak and behave as if I knew everything. The Bible describes this problem using the words pride, or lack of humility. And God hates it and works against it . “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” James 4:6

Pride makes us the worst mathematicians in the world. We secretly count the times that our judgments about people, situations and outcomes are correct, but we forget to count the times that we were wrong. Our measuring scales are corrupt because they are being run by our flesh.

A lack of humility makes us the worst listeners in the world. We have conversations with people and never hear or discern how many times we have injured them with our words. God hates all of this because it works against the commands to love all people. But He hates it even more because pride operates in a heart small on love and reverence toward God and big on stealing His glory. In other words, when we behave like we know everything, we act as if we know what God would do. Do I want to be Job? Do I want God to come to me and ask, “Where were you when I created all the world and how much did you contribute? And how much of it do you even understand?”

The antidote against such a condition is to remember the truth. The truth is that it is God Who gives whatever physical or mental capacity we have. It is God Who decided that His Spirit would blow into our dead hearts and draw us to Him. It is God’s Spirit that enables us to understand truth and apply to life situations. It is God Who providentially ordains every life experience we have had, and it is God Who, by His grace, gives us life and breath and keeps us from falling away from our faith and trust in Christ. In his first letter to the Corinthians Paul said it this way:

“What do you have that you did not receive? If then you received it, why do you boast as if you did not receive it?” 1 Corinthians 4:7

“But by the grace of God, I am what I am!” Corinthians 15:10

Finally, James tells us how to live. “Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom.” James 3:13

The bottom line- my old boss was more right than he knew. I have learned that compared to what I could know in this life, I know so very little, and compared to Almighty God, I know nothing. I know nothing. God help me remember it.