Thoughtful Thursday: Ignorance is Not Bliss! - Denise Pass
by | Feb 12, 2015 | Believers, Chosen, Christian, Christian Encouragement, Education, Ethics, God, Jesus, Jewish, Joyful living, Mental Health, Ministry, Moral, Perspective, Philosophy, Positive Thinking, Principles, Rebuke, Recovery, Resolutions, Teaching, Victorious Christian Living |
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Isaiah 27:11b
“For these people lack understanding, therefore the one who made them has no compassion on them; the one who formed them has no mercy on them.”
Hosea 4:6
“You have destroyed my people by failing to acknowledge me! Because you refuse to acknowledge me, I will reject you as my priests. Because you reject the law of your God, I will reject your descendants.”
Ephesians 4:18
“They are darkened in their understanding, being alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardness of their hearts.”
I fear it has become popular to be dull. Excellence is often made fun of in an attempt to exalt our own lukewarm performance. At the root of ignorance is laziness. It is easier to excuse our lack of knowledge and perhaps laugh it off than apply ourselves to understanding. Ooh . . . I am feeling hot in here today, myself. The problem with laziness is that the Bible says that he who is lazy is brother to the Destroyer. (Proverbs 18:9).
An image of the popular, flighty airheaded blonde girl who has set her standards low so she is accepted by all evokes a sick feeling in my stomach. We were made for more than that. We were made to grow in understanding, to apply wisdom and knowledge for the glory of God. We do not have to be obedient to the standards of this world. Those in power delight in our ignorance – they can use our ignorance to overcome us, and we let them do it – or not.
Ignorance can occur when we are unaware or dumbed down by forces outside of us, or it can be chosen. It is easier to pretend we do not know sometimes, because knowing means we have to do something about it. But what if we really examined the fruit of ignorance? Scripture spells it out – separated from God and His mercy; our descendants cut off. God is just – would He really cut off someone who was just not smart? Intelligence is not the factor here; seeking understanding, knowledge applied and walking in that wisdom is.
Ignorance has wrought some of the greatest atrocities this world has ever seen. It does so now. Apathy is the best friend of ignorance, though it betrays its believer. God help us to be ever seeking to understand and never give in to ignorance. Whoever said ignorance was bliss did not think it all the way through. Have you?
Lord, forgive us when we have accepted lies instead of diligently seeking Your truth. Help us to be aware and obedient to what You have shown us.
