A WORD TO PREACHERS AND TEACHERS

KNOWLEDGE…Wonderful, desirable and powerful!  Passage after passage in Scripture commends its acquisition.  Knowledge, however, can become a source of pride. Maybe, for example, you know a bunch of “big words.”  You may be able to slap together a phrase that no one but the very well educated can understand.  But, if your big words hinder communication, what good are they?  Knowledge for its own sake is as useless as a parka in Miami. “Knowledge makes arrogant, but love edifies (builds up)” (1 Corinthians 8:1).  If your goal is to impress the easily impressed with your “smarts,” then acquiring a lot of facts, figures and information (whether practical or not) should work well.  Truly, you have your reward.  But what then?

All Scripture has a purpose, an application, a meaning that influences the course of our life — how we speak, what we say, what we do and why we do it, our goals, our relationships, the quality and purpose of our work, how we spend our time, how we use our talents and resources, etc., etc.  The Word that we preach or teach potentially makes a difference in the lives of those who hear(depending on their degree of absorption).  Otherwise our preaching and teaching is in vain.  “Knowledge is of no value unless you put it into practice,” wrote Anton Chekhov.   And Samuel Johnson said,  “Between falsehood and useless truth there is little difference.  As gold which he cannot spend will make no man rich, so knowledge which cannot apply will make no man wise.” 

Always, always we must make our lessons practical and applicable to everyday life.  It is not our job as teachers to convey obscure theological theories and opinions.  People need to know how to live!  Charles Stanley wisely observed:  “I think a lot of people, even Christians are willing to be satisfied with gaining lots and lots of biblical knowledge — and many people go to Bible studies and don’t realize it isn’t enough to know what’s right, it’s applying the information and knowledge that you have.” 

Jesus was frequently called, “Teacher.”  But the goal of His teaching was to bring light into the lives of souls stumbling in the darkness.  His teaching brought grace to those enslaved by sin and captive by man-made laws and traditions.  He walked among the spiritually bereft teaching those who followed about an abundant way of life.

So keep your well-educated pride to yourself and preach and teach the simplicity and purity of the life-changing good news.

A Warning to Vegan Converts

 I am reading (actually, listening to) Michael Pollan’s new book, Cooked.  Am I enjoying it?  Well, yes and no.  “Yes,” to the expanding of my foodview (I think this is a new word I’ve invented but not yet patented…so use it without charge) but “no” to my vegan commitment.  Halfway through the book I have learned so much about what it means to actually cook my own food.

            We do a lot of cooking around my house.  My wife is a gourmet-quality cook.  She loves to make tried and true recipes and to try new recipes.  Alas, she is in poor health and I have taken over a lot of culinary responsibilities.  So, I was very interested in what one of my favorite authors had to say about the subject.  As with all Mr. Pollan’s books, I am enlightened, inspired and encouraged to keep the culinary faith.

            I became a vegan after doing a lot of research about what clogs up the circulatory system of Americans.  (You may know that heart attacks are the leading cause of death for those who eat the American way.)  I found that I have a lot of plaque in my veins and arteries and decided to look into ways to reverse the condition.  That led me to begin eating a no-fat (or very low fat) plant-based diet.  It is satisfying, inexpensive and delicious.  But, you see, I am a convert to this way of eating from the vein and artery-clogging omnivorous way I have eaten for decades.  That means that my mouth still waters at visions of various forms of meat.  I am eating the no-fat plant-based way for health reasons only. 

            If you fall into my category, it means you retain strong memories of succulent sausages, bacon, steaks, barbeque ribs, lamb chops, roasts, etc.  After listening to the first part of Mr. Pollan’s book, I wanted nothing more than to find a whole-hog barbecue joint and chow-down.  I wanted to find me some good Texas brisket or cabrito and, fat dripping from my chin, enter into a kind of carnivore nirvana.  Be warned: Michael, a committed omnivore, will make you think twice about, well…sinning.

            I am happy to report that I have righteously remained vegan…so far.  One day at a time.  We all have to die of something but I would like to be as healthy as possible and then, when my time comes peacefully, painlessly drop dead.  At my age, departure is not too far off and I could say I prefer to leave this life with fried chicken in stomach.  But, since I am already noticing some benefits of veganism, I think I will continue with the oats, peas, beans and barley…etc.

            My garden will help.  In spite of the funky weather and bad knees, I am steadily getting things planted.  I look forward to harvesting baskets of summer fruit.