Know It All
I was a teenager that knew everything there was to know about the world. I was smarter than my parents or my teachers, and I had better ways of doing things. Anyone who did not agree with me did not know what they were talking about. This established the firm belief that no one understood me.
I knew I would never need the stuff they were teaching in school. A + B = C, fractions, metrics, and proper grammar were concepts that I would rarely use in my career as a wealthy person. How many rich people do you know carry slide rules?
Ok, this was before Bill Gates grew his empire.
My adolescent views fell apart soon after graduation. My first job out of high school had me in a tool shop using algebra, trigonometry, fractions, and metrics. Even my checkbook always seemed to have an unknown I needed to solve. And all those nouns, pronouns, verbs, and proper grammar helped me write letters, resumes, and business correspondence needed throughout my career.
Unknown to me as a teenager, the practical application of what I was learning in school came after graduation. My frustration was not knowing how to apply what I was learning (a contradiction to knowing everything).
In my Bible studies, the practical application of what I am learning often comes after the lesson. I struggle with the same frustration of not knowing how to apply the information. My experience tells me the time will come. The difference with Biblical knowledge is the Holy Spirit will give us guidance for the application. When you seek the Lord as His student, he remains with you throughout your life – and His teachings are consistent and applicable.
A good example of Biblical teaching on life application is in 2 Timothy 2:3 through 2:7, where Paul is writing a letter to remind Timothy of past lessons. Beginning in verse 2:3, “Take your share of suffering as a good soldier of Jesus Christ, just as I do; and as Christ’s soldier, do not let yourself become tied up in worldly affairs, for then you cannot satisfy the one who has enlisted you in his army. Follow the Lord’s rules for doing his work, just as an athlete either follows the rules or is disqualified and wins no prize. Work hard like a farmer who gets paid well if he raises a large crop. Think over these three illustrations, and may the Lord help you to understand how they apply to you.”
In the first four verses, Paul gives Timothy three examples to help relate the information to his life as a Christian. The first example is to be a good soldier, meaning to live up to a certain standard in his lifestyle and not to be detoured by the deceit of the world. The second example is to be a good athlete by following the rules. The third example is a farmer following the natural laws of agriculture and receiving a reward for good produce.
Finishing in verse 7, Paul instructs Timothy to consider the three examples and let the Lord help him understand and apply the examples to his life. This is an important and basic step. We need the Lord to teach us how to apply His Word to our lives.
The life applications in one verse are numerous, revealed only through divine training and your life experiences. This is what makes God’s Word real and personal. His truth and meaning are undeviating, yet applied to our lives in a personal and direct way.
I could not understand how to apply my school lessons when I was a teenager. The information was not personal, nor did it have meaning to me at the time – although I knew all there was to know. After choking on my ego a few times, the application of the knowledge I ridiculed soon became a way of life.
As a new Christian, I found some Bible stories far-fetched and unreal. Yet as I matured in my Bible studies, the Bible became as real as any history book, and the lessons are applicable. The Lord shows me how to make the teachings a way of life.
How do you relate to the Word and the lessons we learn? How do you apply it?
Glenn Sasscer
www.glennsasscer.com
