Humility Leads to True Wisdom

Luke 10:21-24: Humility Leads to True Wisdom

At that very moment Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, “I give you praise, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you have revealed them to the childlike. Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will. . .

Turning to the disciples in private, Jesus said, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see. . .”

I enjoy studying theology and church history. Now at first glance, most would say this is a healthy interest that would lead me to deeper satisfaction and happiness in my life. And in the beginning, this proved true. Everything I read drew me closer to knowledge about God and the church. Knowledge, at first, was attractive and renewing. But as I soon discovered, “knowledge” and “knowing” are oppositional.

Knowledge of religious practice and theology are helpful. But when we seek to satiate ourselves with this knowledge, it dominates our thinking and clouds the promptings of the Holy Spirit in us toward love of God and neighbor. Throughout Scripture, Jesus warns us of this. And in this section of Luke’s gospel, Jesus points out that too much self-serving knowledge blinds us to the mysteries of God’s love. Not only does Jesus address this to the disciples, but he also teaches it to the religious leaders that try to trap him in Luke 10:25-37. To illustrate this, Jesus tells the parable of the good Samaritan. It is through this parable, moreover, that we learn the true meaning of loving your neighbor, for it is the “enemy” Samaritan who comes to the aid of the victimized, half-dead Jewish man, a man left to perish on the side of the road by the legalistic priest and Levite. Too much “knowledge” jams up the mechanism of love inside of us.

Knowing someone is intimate and personal. We spend time with that person, intently listen to them, and open our deepest self to them. Knowing is about loving, caring, giving, nurturing, and receiving. To know Jesus and his church is to spend time with him in prayer, the sacraments, liturgy, community, service to others, and family. Knowing someone is to shun our arrogance in place of humility. Knowing is about love of the other. Knowledge, on the other hand, often leads to the love of self.

There is a beautiful passage in a favorite book of mine in which the author beautifully sums up Christ’s teaching on humility. And in this passage, the author echoes Jesus in Luke 10:22: “Although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you have revealed them to the childlike.” Thomas á Kempis writes:

Shun too great a desire for knowledge, for in it there is much fretting and delusion. Intellectuals like to appear learned and to be called wise. Yet there are many things the knowledge of which does little or no good to the soul, and he who concerns himself about other things than those which lead to salvation is very unwise.

Many words do not satisfy the soul; but a good life eases the mind and a clean conscience inspires great trust in God. (The Imitation of Christ)

In my arrogant quest for “knowledge” of God, I fall short every time. I get discouraged. I lack trust. I lack faith. My quest to know Jesus, however, humbly leads to a “good life,” a life with a mind at ease in the comfort of God’s grace and love.

Heavenly Father, we pray for to gift of knowing you through the life, love, suffering, death, and resurrection of your son, Jesus Christ. Please grant us the grace of being childlike in our approach to faith in you so that we can be vessels of your love in this world. And we pray in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Have a blessed week!

Stan