1 Corinthians 13:8b-13

“For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then we will see face to face. Now I know only in part; then I will know fully, even as I have been fully known.” vs. 12

Paul could hold his own with the great debaters of his age. He wasn’t intimidated in the least by the inner core of Jesus’ disciples. His theological arguments combined the best of Hebrew scriptures and Greek philosophy. But he also knew that, when it came to knowing God, he was little more than a child. Everything that he had learned from his teachers and his experience could only give him a glimpse of God’s glory. We would do well to remember that as we walk in the way of Jesus and relate to our fellow believers. We’re all infants, and even the most learned among us are guessing when we presume to describe the Great God. The intricate doctrines that we’ve learned in the course of our study can be satisfying and helpful, but they’re human inventions, a futile attempt to know the unknowable. That’s not meant to be a disparaging thought–it really is the best we can do, and it’s good to remember that as we share our thoughts and ideas with others. Like Paul we know that the best is yet to come, and that one day we will see and know God fully. In the meantime we are called to focus on the big three: faith, hope, and love, and make loving the true center of all we say and do. 

Thought for the Day: Why am I proud of my knowledge?