Chances are that many of you are probably aware of him. He's author of the best-selling book Blue Like Jazz (in my top 3) and also author of best-seller A Million Miles In a Thousand Years (which I haven't purchased yet, but am very excited to read someday). Miller's a great writer and has a great sense of humor. He also has a very well-thought out approach to Christian spirituality and I love reading his stuff. It's very candid and honest. He makes himself vulnerable, and that's what I believe makes good writers incredible ones.
Anyway, earlier this week I read a post on Miller's blog (www.donmilleris.com) about the topic of knowledge and humility. In this entry, Miller shares about his relationship with a former seminary professor named Ross Tunnell who taught him a lot about the Old Testament. Miller and Tunnell would meet for lunch every two weeks or so, and the deal was that Miller would pay for lunch if Tunnell would teach him about the Old Testament.
Miller shares a story of how he and Ross went to a seminar in Salem, Oregon, and on the ride back home, Miller was sharing condescendingly about some Scripture and how he had it all figured out and just didn't understand how someone couldn't share the same outlook. When Miller finished, he turned, looking for some words of affirmation on his position from his friend. Tunnell stayed quiet, so Miller eventually asked, "Ross, what do you think?" Tunnell looked at him and said, "I think knowledge puffs up."
Ouch.
But that made me really think. How often have I used my own (perceived) intelligence, knowledge, or intellect to try and make myself superior to others? How often have I been so lost in my own pride that I forget my Savior was the perfect picture of humility?
As a Bible college student, I naturally have some friends and acquaintances who turn to me when they need an answer about something related to the Bible, Jesus, an application of the Christian faith, or whatever. In those instances, I am all to eager to show off my Bible knowledge, as if learning about things like Pauline letters, the Pentateuch, or the Gospels make me something special.
The fact is, it doesn't. It does, however, make me a humongous jerk.
In 1 Corinthians 8:1, Paul writes that "knowledge puffs up, but love builds up." Knowledge is great. But if I just have knowledge that isn't rooted in the fruits of the Spirit (see Galatians 5), then it's only "puffing up." It's only making me prideful. It's only creating a false sense of superiority to cover my own inadequacies. It's about our heart... like my friend, boss, and mentor Bobby Jackson tells me, "It's about saying and doing the right things at the right time with the right motivation."
And if I speak something grounded in love, I never need to worry about the right motivation. That will take care of itself.
(To read the original Donald Miller blog that inspired this post, click here.)
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