Responsibility For Knowing (Article)
The article below was used as a “thoughtful story” in the service on July 25 at the Shelburne Grace Church of the Nazarene.
I would like you to think for a moment about, how do you know what you know? Do you know what you know, because you took some form of specific steps to know it, which means, you went through a process, whereby, as a result of repetitious review you were able to grasp the concepts and ideas, and as a result came to know what you know?
Perhaps, you came to know what you know, through the careful watching of someone who did know, and do what they knew, and as a consequence you were able to come to know it as well. Or maybe, if you really concentrate, you might conclude, you know what you know because you know, and you really do not remember how, you know. Is that something you can identify with?
So, knowing you know what you know, I wonder if you can determine how much you do not know, with the intent to get to the place where you will know tomorrow, more than you know now. Wouldn’t that be something that would be good to do? Would knowing it is possible to know more tomorrow than you know today, be something that would encourage you to take the steps necessary in achieving the fact that you would know more than you did? And when you know you can know more, your life would be better, would it not?
But, having concluded the fact your life would be better in knowing more tomorrow, than you know today, have you considered the implications of what it means, beyond being better, to know more?
You would be responsible for knowing what you know, would you not? And you do realize that this is not a bad thing, because, it is already true for what you know now, as well, right? Having given the issue of responsibility for knowing what you know some consideration, knowing is really about far more than having some information in your head, isn’t it? And as you think about the possibilities of what is involved in knowing something, there are other things to be considered as well. Wouldn’t you find it helpful, if you could begin to grasp what other things are important to know? Well, as you work through this process in your mind, it would be good to remember, how significant taking action on what you know, really is to the process of coming to the place where you know what it is you know. Without the follow through action, it is less likely you will come to the place where you know for yourself what it is you know, because your knowledge was not first hand and personal. And when you think about it, you know that, don’t you?
You know the benefits of being present in our Sunday morning services, don’t you? Haven’t you commented along the way, at some point, how great it was to be here? And yet, haven’t there been times you have made excuses why you should stay home?
It was just in the last few weeks, I came to the realization and understanding of something important, “to know and not to do is not to know.” This is so important I want to share it with you again, “to know and not to do is not to know.” When you really begin to understand this little statement and apply it to your life, which means, you take action on it, and integrate its truth into your life, you will then begin to grasp the significance in your own life to the statement in God’s Word, which is found in James 4:17, “Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn’t do it, sins.”
Considering the fact you are responsible for what you do, or fail to do, that ought to motivate you to be sure you are living close enough to God to know what it is you not only need to know, but also to know it enough to follow through and do it also, shouldn’t it? And I know, you know, to the extent your motivation to know and do, comes from a desire to love God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength, and your neighbour as yourself, you are more likely to do it, right?
When you come to that place in your life of knowing you know all this, and are acting upon it, your life will be better and the lives of those around you will better as well, won’t it?
