Love Builds Up

 

Scripture:  “… knowledge puffs up while love builds up …”  I Corinthians 8:1b

 

This came from our daily reading in 1 Corinthians 8

 

Observation / Application:  Gnosis phusioo, agape oikodomeo.  You might say, “that’s Greek to me” and it is!  Let’s break it down … gnosis (knowledge) is what we know or understand, it’s our intelligence.  This is what Paul says “phusioo” (puffs up) – it inflates us, makes us proud and lofty or haughty in the eyes of others.  Jesus said we need to come to Him with a child-like faith.  One person may seem to “know” a lot about religious things which is what the passage in Chapter 8 is talking about, but the problem is all this knowing may actually be keeping people away from the Lord and as Paul says really if we think we know anything, we really don’t.  I remember when I was in my early 20’s I really thought I knew a lot of things, but as I age and mature (hopefully) I realize I really didn’t know much of anything.  I am at that age when I can actually admit it!  I have said this saying for the past 10+ years, “The more I learn and ‘know’, the less I find out I really ‘know’.”  The more I know, the more questions I seem to have! 

 

Paul wants us instead of talking about everything we know to lift up each other in agape love.  This is Christ-like love.  This is the love Paul defines in Chapter 13 that we looked at and studied back in February.  Joyce Meyer in one of her teachings said she spent an entire YEAR studying love, “It’s that important!”, she said.  She went on to say that she still studies on Biblical love, but she spent an entire year learning what it means to love like the Bible talks about.  It’s not a bad idea really, when you think about it!  Agape love oikodomeo (builds up).  It is a word meaning to “build a house” or “erect a building”.  My parents when I was about 15 years old built a house.  It was not a quick process; it took time!  I’ve watched New Hope “erect a building” over the last year and again, it takes TIME.  Love takes time. 

 

When you build a house you start with the foundation.  That is also important with love and building relationships.  Start with foundational truths.  I think this would support what Paul is saying here as well.  Don’t jump in and expect a baby Christian to know and do everything you do.  Be gentle.  Build them up.  Start at the foundation.  The same is true for our children as we raise them up.  Sometimes I want my children to learn a truth young so they don’t have to go through a pain or hard thing I went through growing up, but the truth is – I’m in my 40’s just learning some of the things I want them to grasp at 8 or 11 years old.  Start with foundational truths! 

 

Today let’s build up and edify one another.  If God has given you some “light” or “truth”, GREAT!  Live in the light He has shown you, but let us not expect everyone to be on the same part of the journey we are on.  Lastly, it’s not about what you know, but WHO you know – so let’s spend more time focusing on the WHO and not the what … Love you gals!  Thanks for studying with me today!

 

Prayer:  Father in Heaven, thank You for loving us with Your agape love.  Thank you for being patient with me in my learning process.  Help me to be patient and loving and to build others up in the faith and to draw them closer to You – not through knowledge alone, but mostly by showing others the same patient agape love that You show towards me.  In Christ I pray, Amen & Amen.