Aimless TALKING & Tedious LISTENING

I was referred to a podcast recently with Jordan Peterson and a fellow named Jason who was interviewing him. Now, I’ve enjoyed listening to Jordan Peterson a few times because I felt that he was a genuine seeker, and his philosophical answers seemed to be close to or at least leading people towards the truth. We need to pray for Jordan Peterson as he is this close to making Jesus His savior. He even says so.

However, in this interview, his interviewer, Jason was trying to lead the conversation and ended up taking most of the air time just listening to himself philosophying. Poor fellow, he truly was tedious to listen to.

When people don’t know what to believe, they try to develop their faith as they go on and on talking. I understand the thread of genuine search, how one can get closer, the more he/she searches. But to just listen to yourself with just the pleasure of your own voice developing your own thoughts, that really goes nowhere.

Derek Prince who was a philosopher before coming to the Lord says that “philosophy is the science of making simple things complicated“. The Words of God however bring revelation to knowledge. “Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal (true) knowledge” (Ps 19:7).

Philosophy can end up in nothing but sugar coated intellectual pride. — trying to understand the principles of life without wanting the truth, talking out ideas with the only purpose of flexing one’s intellect. That’s not searching. The Bible warns us against philosophy. “Don’t let anyone capture you with empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the spiritual powers of this world, rather than from Christ. (Col 2:8)

There’s an element of humility in genuine search. You don’t find truth by being full of yourself.

Jesus said that these truths are hidden from the intellectuals who are full of themselves. “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. (Mat 11:25)

God has set out some simple laws all throughout life and if you’ll only abide by these, truth is not that difficult to find. “Seek and you shall find“, is one of those simple, yet powerful laws.

Knowledge puffs up. King Solomon who was the wisest man who ever lived said, “with all thy getting, get understanding“. Understanding is the “revelation” of knowledge. It’s the “I get it”. It’s being able to transpose knowledge to personal growth and to the definition of one’s destiny and purpose is what makes knowledge worth it. “My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding“. (Pro 2:1,2)

If you really want to be “smart”, STUDY the Proverbs of Solomon. He said, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.” (Pro 1:7). “Blessed is the one who finds wisdom, and the one who gets understanding, for the gain from her is better than gain from silver and her profit better than gold“.

Beware of knowledge alone. It’ll get you to run in circles in your own wittiness. Wittiness alone is witty-mess. It brings hollow thoughts from an aimless mind. Wittiness without understanding is being confused in your own self brainy efforts, in the accumulation of your own knowledge.

Most intellectual people are on this “listen to me talk out how smart I am” trip. They’re not in the discussion for interaction, but for the adoration of their knowledge. All discussions and dissertations, if they don’t aim towards truth, are compass-less and intellectually tedious, not challenging.

They’re just plain aimless and filled with pride and self-adulation. Knowledge puffs one up. Truth is humbling and satisfying. It’s not Junk food that leaves you empty. It’s full-filling. It’s not propped up with a shaky scaffolding of intellect of perceived ideas. TRUTH is solid and stands on its own.

That’s why knowing God’s Word and speaking it in all conversations is so powerful. This is what Isaiah said about Jesus, “The Spirit of the LORD will rest on Him— the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of might, the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the LORD”. (Isa 11:2).

Beware of those people who tell you they have 5000 books in their own personal library. It only means they’re that confused. The more you learn, the prouder you get if you’re not able to apply and share knowledge in humility.

The Lord, however, grants knowledge to those who have an honest relationship with Him. “For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding” (Pro 2:6)

There’s no true knowledge without knowing God’s truth. It’s the Spirit of God that can guide you if you would only follow. Jesus said, “However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth…” (John 16:13).