What do we know?

It is a foolish person who thinks they know everything. Proverbs 26:4 says, “Don’t answer the foolish arguments of fools, or you will become as foolish as they are.”

The more a wise person knows, the more they realise how little they know. Scientists – as they delve into their chosen areas of research – are amazed at the detail and complexities they discover, even in the simplest cell.

These days, it seems that people try to shut down those with opposing views, even in universities and other places where public debate should be encouraged.

In my view, those who shout the loudest usually have the weakest argument. There are various proverbs that are best summed up by the one that says, “Empty vessels make the most noise.”

On the other hand, we are encouraged to empty ourselves of ‘self’, and be filled with the Spirit. We can fill a beautiful jar with garbage, but it is still garbage. Jesus referred to some of the religious people of his day as ‘whited sepulchres’, with good external appearances – but death and decay inside.

So, what do we know? In reality, we don’t even fully know ourselves. The scripture says in Jeremiah 17:9, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and it is exceedingly corrupt: who can know it?”

If we empty ourselves of ‘self’, and allow the Holy Spirit to fill that void, all the dirt and dust in the jar will rise to the surface. We don’t know it’s there, but God does and the Holy Spirit can reveal it to us. We will be surprised by the things that the Holy Spirit reveals, and it may be painful dealing with them.

God knows us through and through. He reads our heart as a person reads a book. When we finally meet our saviour, 1 Corinthians 13:12 says, “Now I know in part; but then shall I know fully even as also I was fully known.”

So, we will fully know, even know ourselves, as we are currently fully known by God.

He knows everything about us, he knows what we need, not what we think we need. He knows what is good for us, not what we want, but what is needed.