"The More You Know"

     One of the television networks, I think it’s NBC, often runs a commercial during its programming in which various actors from its shows will offer a short message, almost a public service announcement, in an effort to make their viewers aware of ways in which they can better serve the environment, their community, and their family. At the end of each commercial the actor finishes by saying, “The more you know.” The point is that the more you know the better you are, particularly if the object of the knowledge can benefit others. It’s a wholesome message even if all of the programming is not.

     A couple of days ago I watched one of those commercials and it got me to thinking about a specific event in our Lord’s life. In the midst of our Lord’s period of temptation in the wilderness we find these words from Satan in Luke 4:5-7. “And the devil took him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the earth in a moment of time, and said to him, ‘To you I will give all this authority and their glory, for it has been delivered to me, and I will give it to whom I will.  If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours.”

     There is so much we could say about Satan’s words, but for the purpose of this post we will consider only that Satan caused all of the kingdoms of the earth to pass before our Lord’s eyes “in a moment of time.” I find that very interesting. Why not give our Lord a slow, in depth, panoramic view of each kingdom? Why not show Jesus the splendor of all the great cities belonging to each kingdom? Why not encourage our Lord to walk their streets and admire their glory? I cannot answer this for certain but I do feel comfortable offering one suggestion. Perhaps Satan knew that a longer look would have shown that they were worth so little. Perhaps he recognized that theirs was the glory of tinsel, not gold (1 John 2:17a). Of course, Jesus already knew this. 

     Friends, the more we come to know each other and the world around us the more flaws we discover. This certainly should not cause us to love one another less, but to recognize that imperfection permeates every aspect of this world, including us. This would be very depressing if there were no exception to the rule. There is. His name is Jesus Christ. You see, the more we come to know Jesus the greater the wonder becomes. Friends, this will be true not only in the midst of this flawed and imperfect world but also in the perfection of eternity.

     With so many interests in this life it’s always good to be reminded of the need to keep Jesus Christ at the center. Length of life and number of experiences causes our knowledge of this world and its inhabitants to increase. We see how the world operates, how it thinks, how it influences, and what it desires. More than anything we see its weaknesses and flaws. Let that recognition motivate us to want to learn more about our flawless Christ.

         The more you know!