But while knowledge makes us feel important, it is love that strengthens the church. I Corinthians 8:1

 

It was a classic high school reunion. Just under 100 former students gathered to enthusiastically catch up and laugh over old times.

Reunions are also classic opportunities for showing off and comparison. In one conversation, a successful surgeon was excitedly listing the accolades and awards he’d won in his outstanding career. His listening classmate was a stay-at-home mom to four children. While the esteemed surgeon bragged at length about his overwhelming success, the stay-at-home mom smiled sincerely and said, “I’m so happy for you, Jeff. You always were talented, and you’ve used all that intelligence to do amazing things.” In that moment, she was, in many ways, the bigger person, able to celebrate another with sincerity and kindness. “…while knowledge makes us feel important,” the Bible says, “it is love that strengthens” (I Corinthians 8:1).

It’s worth stopping from time to time to assess whether we’re growing in self-importance and head knowledge or if we’ve also grown in love. Growth in knowledge often means our focus is on getting recognition or being the best. But when we grow in love, it’s not about ego or being praised. Love is happy to celebrate others. It strengthens those around us, builds up relationships, and knits people together. God values how you love rather than what you know.

If you ran into school friends after ten years, how would they see you’ve grown? Would you be in a hurry, like Jeff, to share the best aspects of your life or be curious to hear of others’ lives? Would you have ears to listen between the lines for the hurt camouflaged by pride?

The “others-oriented life” definitely doesn’t come naturally—it’s countercultural to our world’s ways. Knowledge may make your feel important, but love strengthens! (I Corinthians 8:1).