Wisdom Lost in Knowledge

Endless invention, endless experiment

Brings knowledge of motion, but not stillness;

Knowledge of speech, but not silence;

Knowledge of words, and ignorance of the word.

All our ignorance brings us nearer to death,

But nearness to death no nearer to GOD.

Where is the Life we have lost in living?

Where is the wisdom we have lost in knowledge?

--T.S. Eliot (Chorus from the Rock)

Christ learned of people by being near them, close to them. It seems to me that Christ was un-interested in the cumulative whole of mankind. Instead he cared, to his core, about the individual. Jesus did not sweep away his time here on earth in solitude nor in discussing the problems of mankind in a church (synagogue). His was an individual ministry spent in personal contact with sinful people.

A counselor may spare no expense in effort attempting to determine the underlying problem with a person. Marriage counselors will try to look past what is initially submitted from the despondent couple and beg the underlying motif to present itself. He will do this in an attempt to discover the root, a person’s principals, and then attempt to transfer a body of knowledge to correct behavioral patterns. It is hoped, if this is done correctly, the marriage can be saved. At the very least you may be deemed fixable! It concerns me that Churches, much like counselors, have rules, often unspoken, for fixing or bringing our behavior within acceptable parameters. Moreover, Christianity is perceived as a transfer of bits of data aimed at fixing the software between our ears.

As I understand it, Jesus did not come to individuals attempting to establish principals for correcting behavior en masse. Instead, with a real heart of compassion, he was interested in the individual. Calling them to follow him not as a pattern for how to live a good life, but to follow him as the Christ. He wants nothing more than what is already presently in us as individuals. You see Jesus taught us that we broken folks have infinite value in the eyes of God.

Apart from Jesus' teaching it is scary to consider what is there; lurking in each of us. A dark and insidious self centered power that simply doesn’t die. Then a brilliant horizon breaks open when I realize that Christ knew this about individuals; about me. He knew it, knows it, and still the worst of humanity has unspeakable value.