How much do you need to know?

This morning during my quiet time I began to hear some things that were quite edifying. We live in an age of overload when it comes to information. We are overwhelmed. The information would be useful if it was more reliable but it too often changes. You will hear that eggs are bad for you one week and then a year later you will hear that the affect that eggs has on your cholesterol is not conclusive. Every answer to a problem always raises a new question. Our lives are constantly being bombarded with way too much to think about. The questions that kept rolling around in my head this morning were about how much do I need to know about anything. What is useful to me? How much can I absorb? When and why does some of the information become such a burden?

The Spirit came to my rescue and reminded me of a few verses in scripture.

1 Corinthians 13:8

Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears.

1 Corinthians 13:11-13

When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.
For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.
And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

One thing that you can take away from these verses is the peaceful realization that each of us only know in part anyway. It seems to me that trying to know more than our part can become a heavy burden to many. For example: The guy that prepares the salads at a restaurant does not need to know how to manage a restaurant. The restaurant manager needs to have that kind of knowledge. The guy that prepares the salad can advance into new knowledge if he becomes the assistant cook but he still doesn't need to be bogged down with all the managerial concerns of the restaurant.

Our journey with the Lord can be hindered and bogged down when we try to become more than we are at the time. We want to be all that we can be at any given time but we certainly don't need to stress ourselves out by trying to become more than we are. We are incomplete all by ourself for sure. We will never be able to survive the Christian life without community. Even with a full compliment of brothers and sisters in a vibrant community there is still the stark realization that the perfect has not yet come.

How much do we need to know? The answer will come when you discover the real you because who you are is who God loves and the knowledge that He has given you is for you only and those in your circle of life. Yes, who you are is tarnished by sin just like everybody else but the redeemed you is God's gift to you. Your talents and your person are God's gift to your family and friends and your circle of life. When that circle expands then God will give you more. Until then, use what you have learned from Him right where you are and live in peace. The bigger picture is His anyway.