Friday, November 21, 2008

Knowledge

I was thinking the other day about how many different types of knowledge there were.

1. Common Sense. This is knowledge gained from experience, observation, or instinct. "Don't touch hot things" and "don't insult someone bigger than you" are prime examples. This isn't things you necessarily need to be taught, and they don't teach it in school.

2. Book learning. This is knowledge learned in school. 2+2=4, Ethiopia is an African country. Knowledge that may or may not do you good. Basically, knowledge that helps you score high on standardized tests and get into college.

3. Wisdom, or application of knowledge. This is separate from common sense because people with common sense may not always have wisdom. This is "smarts" that aid you in discernment and in difficult choices.

4. Observation. This aspect of smartness can be hard to teach. This is body language, tonal reasponse etc. that helps you determine or know more about people or things without being told.

I don't know if these are all the forms, but 4 was all I could come up with.

Monday, November 10, 2008

Let it Go

Sometimes I wonder how much we Christians hold onto the world and how little we hold on to Christ. We seem to sit on the fence and try to have one foot on either side. Elijah told the Israelites "How long will you go limping between two different opinions? I the LORD is God, follow Him but if Baal, then follow him."

How can we follow God if we are continually holding on to the world? We can't, and Elijah said it's better if you are fully in the world than if you are continually putting one foot on the worlds side, then one foot on Christianity's side.

Think on that for a moment, and how scary that thought is. Do you really want to sit on the fence?