The Paradox of Education and Spiritual Wisdom

1 Corinthians 8:2 “If anyone supposes that he knows anything, he has not yet known as he ought to know.” 

We live in an age when many consider education crucial to our success. The addition of more degrees and letters next to our name is considered necessary for one to receive good-paying jobs. But a lot of education doesn’t necessarily equal spiritual wisdom.

Many years ago people were fortunate to be able to finish grade school. Your great-grandfather graduated from 6th grade and then felt it his responsibility to help his father in his laundry business. His father had an accident and was not able to carry the load, so great-grandpa stepped up at a very young age.

In the years to come it became important for kids to finish high school. Soon it was imperative to have a college degree, and now the status quo is to get a master’s degree or even a doctorate. All of this education, though I agree it can be a blessing, has produced a group of people who feel important and think they know everything. Yet, all of these academians may not have even started to touch the surface of all they could or need to know.

Even in Christian circles the grasping for more knowledge occurs. In 1 Corinthians Paul addresses this issue with a group of believers who were living in a country where many sought after and applauded, even idolized, wisdom. As people sought importance, intellectual pride became a problem. Their lifestyle decisions were based on their puffed up knowledge instead of their love for fellow believers who were newer to the faith and possessed less understanding of truth.

Paul reprimanded their pride and selfish living by stating that “if anyone supposes that he knows anything, he has not yet known as he ought to know; but if anyone love God, he is known by Him.”

The paradox of spiritual wisdom is that those who pride themselves as wise show themselves lacking. For anyone to feel that they have a full understanding of an infinite God and His ways is foolish. On the other hand, those who recognize the human inability to fully know God and His limitless attributes, but love Him in humility, possess the openness to be taught by God’s Spirit. This is the starting point for real spiritual wisdom that leads to loving others more than ourselves.

The most important thing in the spiritual life is not whether or not you know all about God, but whether or not He knows you. Great-grandpa never went past the 6th grade in school. Though I would not recommend that course of action now, I can tell you that this godly man was wiser than most, and loved the Lord with all his heart. Just as he gave up the opportunity for more book-learning because he loved his father, he spent his whole life loving and helping people.

As you each work to further your education, whether in secular or spiritual studies, don’t fall into the pit of pride. Always remember the paradox of spiritual wisdom: “[those who suppose they know] anything, have not yet known as [they] ought to know.”