Don't Dismiss Knowledge Too Quickly

I grew up hearing the often quoted saying, “A lot of people miss heaven by 6 inches… the distance between the head and the heart.”

It led me to believe that heart-connection with Jesus is far superior to head-connection with Jesus, and that I should pursue Jesus with my heart.

I can appreciate that.

There are many with an academic infatuation of biblical literature, or philosophical fantasies of the nature of God who will one day be asked to stand on the left-hand side of the Great Shepherd (see Matthew 25:31-46).

Yet something still bothers me with this saying, and various others that postulate an either/or solution to Christian growth.

Outside of the academy, in everyday Christian discipleship, the mind and knowledge have somehow been equated to an inadequate means for life and godliness.

But that’s not what Peter says.

His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence… — 2 Peter 1:3

The power of God is at work, and that power has granted us something. This ‘something’ is the one thing most disciples of Jesus want.

You want to know how to truly live a life of godliness.

I mean, really, that’s what you want. That’s what we all want.

We don’t just want to exist, we want to live!

We don’t just want to blur into this world as some type of indistinguishable entity, we want to shine as stars in a darkened universe, representing and reflecting the glory of Christ.

We want to live. We want to be godly.

So how do we get that ‘something’?

How does Peter inform us to the means by which this happens?

Read it again.

“His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence…”

Don’t dismiss ‘knowledge’ to quickly.

Don’t pit heart and head against each other. This is not an either/or scenario. It’s both/and.

The heart engaged life of godliness, dynamic and alive, rich and full, comes through a knowledge of him who’s called us.

I think you can appreciate a stranger, but I don’t think it possible to truly love one. You must know someone first before you can love them.

Pursue a knowledge of him who has called you out of darkness and into light. Pursue a knowledge of the one who conquered death to give you life.

Know Him. And love Him.

Know Him more deeply. Love Him more deeply.