I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve heard those words, and how many times I said them. There are times when all of us would rather not expend the metal effort to take in more information. Sometimes we feel too tired or maybe the material does not excite us, but whatever the reason, we don’t feel like learning any more.

Most of us can relate to feeling little or no motivation to study, but there is a deeper challenge when it comes to living our faith that threatens to leave us unprepared for the work of ministry and the challenges of life that we will experience. That challenge is not the lack of motivation, but the lack of desire. When we move beyond “I don’t feel like it” to “I don’t want to” the situation is much more serious, and when the subject is our faith journey the impact can be devastating. That may sound dramatic, but when it comes to living and sharing the Christian life, the results of our choices have eternal significance.

The Apostle Paul told his younger protege, Timothy, “Study to show yourself approved.” (2 Timothy 2:15) There is a real need for Christians to invest time and themselves in the work of study for the sake of their faith journey and their impact with the Gospel. It is true,that many modern translations of this verse replace the word “study” with “discipline yourself” but a necessary part of that discipline is renewing the mind and spirit through study.

Too many times as a pastor, I hear people say, “Just tell me what to believe (or do).” The implication is that they would rather blindly follow someone else’s direction than do the hard work themselves, yet that is exactly what they need. More than a simple answer or a personal direction from the pastor, the real knowledge lies in allowing the Spirit to use their studious efforts mingled with divine revelation. Pastoral insight may be a part of that process, but there is so much more. I once has a door hanger that read, “I trust in the Lord, but I still have to study.” The quote is cute, but full of truth for all of us.

Our faith is surely more than academic, but it still requires our study. No sermon or teaching will replace time spent reading the Word of God, engaging the reflections of the community of faith over several millennia, and gaining the insights of the knowledge and wisdom of others. John Wesley, the founder of the Wesleyan denominations (including my own, the United Methodist Church) exemplified a model that engaged Scripture, tradition, experience and reason. We need to incorporate all four, and we need to do the work, not wait for someone else to do it for us.

We want to offer God our very best and that includes the mind and intelligence we were blessed with. Our study need not be laborious, but it must not be avoided.

In the coming days, I will be sharing some suggestions to help encourage and empower your study. For now, however, it is enough to encourage us all to take Paul’s advice and study so that we can show ourselves to be those approved.

Be blessed in this day and in your study. May God’s divine revelation multiply your efforts.

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The wrong understanding of knowledge can lead to negative consequences. It is this type of knowledge that “puffs up” giving us a false view of ourselves and the world. Most of us have heard the phrase, “a little information is a dangerous thing,” and it is true. A little information can lead us to believe we have more understanding and more ability than we actually do. We begin to think too highly of ourselves and pride edges out the much needed common sense that asks for help before our need for it becomes desperate.

The same attitude many of us faced when we graduated, believing we knew everything and there was nothing we could not handle on our own, can still emerge from within us. We can be so impressed with the facts we know, the degrees we earned, and the life-experience we possess, that we fail to see our weak points. This intellectual blindness can lead us in the wrong directions and leave us wounded by our own choices.

In the book of Proverbs, we find an oft quoted treasure that has real-life impact. Early in the first chapter, the writer says, “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.” (1:7) Real knowledge originates from a right understanding of our place in relationship to God. The word “fear” is not about being frightened by God, but rather, respecting God. Filled with awe and wonder, we look to God to define what real knowledge looks like.

Putting God first in the pursuit of knowledge helps us avoid the pitfall of pride. It keeps us grounded in reality. We are not swayed by popularity or popular opinion. We are not impressed by what we know, nor do we expect others to be. Instead, we rejoice in God and the wisdom the Holy Spirit imparts. Then, the information we accumulate, the training we experience and the life journey we take can blossom into the fullness of truth within our lives. Instead of being prideful in our accomplishments, we offer them as gifts to God, to be informed by God and transformed into tools of ministry in our lives.

We should seek wisdom, knowledge and understanding. We should be life-learners who continually grow in these ways, but we should grow by being firmly rooted in God. James wrote, “If anyone lacks wisdom, he should ask God.” (1:5) if we want to truly develop our knowledge, we should start by asking God and then, rooted in him and led by the Spirit, we can truly mature our understanding.

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge. May our eyes be opened and our spirits awakened to the awe and wonder of God so that we may become truly knowledgeable and wise for our sake and the sake of the world.

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Now, I chose to live here and I enjoy winter and its snow, but this year, I am looking forward to warmer days, greener trees and other outdoor activities. Putting gas in the car as the strong winds drove the sleet against my face, and driving along the slush covered roads, I was thinking of what was yet to come. Over and over, I told myself, “I may not see it, but it is spring.” Nothing around me looked like spring, but nevertheless, it was.

As I sat next to the fire in our fireplace at the end of the day, I reflected on how similar the days experiences were to the walk of faith. Driving in the car, facing the inclement weather, it took great faith to believe it was spring. All I had was the date on the calendar, the words of the newscasters and the knowledge of the science that affirms the time of the vernal equinox. I could not base my beliefs upon what I saw. Instead, I had to base them upon what I knew to be true.

The same is true for our walk of faith. Often, our circumstances seem to contradict the things we believe and all we have to base our stance upon is what we can read from the Word of God, what we can hear from those declaring that Word, and what, in the end, we know to be true. Walking in faith is about trust and conviction. We trust God and God’s Word, and we stand upon our convictions believing in the truth even when we cannot see it.

It is easy to base our beliefs and feelings on our experiences, but our experiences can be wrong. Think of the number of time you were convinced of something that you later discovered was completely wrong. Monsters in the closet that were only shirts and shadows to the hurtful actions of others that we later discover were misunderstandings on our part, these are just the beginning of the ways we misunderstand our circumstances. This is where faith steps in. Through our belief in God, we can see beyond our circumstances to embrace what is real and true.

Even now, as I look out the window, the sun and blue skies seem to be pointing toward spring, but the several inches of snow on the yard look more like winter. Likewise, as I look at my life, what I see often sends mixed messages. Thank God for the knowledge of the truth and the faith it forms that gives me strength to believe even where I cannot see.

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