Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Knowledge?

As kids, we talk about angels as if they are animals or cars, being completely tangible and real.  There is so much that children don't understand, but somehow certain things seem to real and concrete to them.  We get older and we gain knowledge, but lose understanding.  We know that scientifically, angels can't be in a room without us seeing them, and how could we possibly have "guardian angels" if people get killed all the time and we get hurt so much?  To a child, this concept isn't troublesome.  God is the creator of the universe and angels are there to watch over us here on the earth.  To a child, heaven isn't a complicated or supernatural concept either.  When people die, they go to heaven or hell if they've been bad or if they've been good, and it is as simple as that to a child.  Then, we go to school and learn about all of the reasons why heaven, angels, demons, God, and everything that is "supernatural" is really just a figment of our imaginations.  Everyone buys into this thinking so easily, because how can we really ever know that the experience we have/had with God is not just our emotional self acting up?  It's an interesting thought that even though many of us know for a fact that we have encountered the natural and perfect love of God, one bit of faulty scientific "evidence" that seems to contradict our beliefs completely rocks our universe to the verge of destroying our faith all together.  In Matthew 18:3, Jesus says, "If you do not become like children, surely you will not enter the kingdom of heaven."  Growing up, I thought this verse was frustrating, because children are so stupid, so immature, ignorant, temperamental, and so on.  However, recently after thinking about what the core meaning of what childlike really is, I've realized that to be childlike means to be faithful.  A child walks onto a playground with a dozen other kids of different races, ages, beliefs, and family backgrounds.  By the time that child leaves the playground, he is friends with almost every kid he/she comes in contact with.  To him/her, there is no racial difference, religious divide, theological debate, fashion style, etc.  King Solomon says that "blessed is the man who finds wisdom and understanding".  This sounds so much like "blessed is the man who learns the most theology and knows the most about humanity," but I think history has shown that the most intelligent people are not the most blessed.  Wealthy, powerful, famous: yes but not always blessed.  Wisdom and understanding is so different from knowledge as we think of it.  Scientists have so much knowledge, but so often lack understanding.  Children understand everything perfectly.  I believe there is a reason that it says in the bible that in the end times, the YOUNG men will have dreams and visions.  An aging man might refuse to believe the clear dreams and visions given to him.  I think this is why it is so important to have a strong faith as a young man, because reason, science, opposing agendas, and the false gospels of self-satisfaction scream louder than the simple truth of THE Gospel.  A four year old boy reported sitting in the lap of Jesus during an appendectomy that he nearly died during.  He reported going to heaven for three minutes and seeing the Lord and Jesus on his right hand.  Several months after his surgery, he went to a funeral and was furious when nobody would answer his question. "Did this man know Jesus?! Did he dad?! He HAD to! If he didn't then He can't go be with God and Jesus!"  The adults silenced him and explained to him that its inappropriate to ask that at a funeral.  The boy was incredibly confused as it seemed like the MOST important thing to ask at a funeral.  His understanding of the gospel was childlike.  WE NEED TO KNOW JESUS SO THAT WE CAN SPEND ETERNITY WITH THE LORD!  There is no science to prove or disprove God's existence, but God cannot be ignored in the hearts of ALL humanity.  No non-existent being could cause wars to be fought, nations to separate, martyrs to be made, and millions to follow Him and lay down a life of comfort and steady income to serve Him.  A childlike faith means to not follow blindly, but to have a loyal gaze set upon the Lord that is blind to differences on the earth.  We are all part of the human race, which is the only race.  God desires for Muslims, Jews, Christians, Hindus, and everyone else to all pick up their crosses and follow Him.  This concept isn't radical, it's childlike.  We can't let knowledge hinder our wisdom and understanding.