S74P7 – When fools rush in: knowledge is rejected
Pro. 17:16
It is senseless to pay to educate a fool, since he has no heart for learning.
Every Friday night was total chaos. Of course, what else could be expected from a bunch of teenagers who drastically outnumbered our staff. Even among the chaos God still provided plenty of opportunities for us to reach the kids one-on-one and really speak life into them. It did not take long to discern who was there just to hang out with their friends and have some snacks, and who was there to really learn about Jesus Christ and explore a relationship with him. Time was limited, and we had to be wise with ours. Although one might want to sow into each and every one of those kids, it was not possible. The critical thing was finding those who had a heart for learning and making sure to pour into them.
Teaching knowledge always comes at an expense. It takes time, energy, money, and many other resources to get the job done. When it comes to spiritual knowledge, we all need an education. God gives us hearts which desire to see each one taught his truth, but the reality is that many will have no interest in learning it. In this world, we are limited in our resources. We may want to reach everyone, but that would be impossible. We can cast our nets only so far. That is why it is important to be able to discern those who truly thirst for the knowledge we have to share with them. What we offer is something of value, and we must seek those who also appreciate this value and have a sincere desire to gain knowledge and wisdom.
The Holy Spirit is so good at helping us discern these things if we only allow him to show us. One thing we must remember is that we cannot be stubborn in our evangelism. There may come times when it is right for us to focus our efforts elsewhere because the ground in which we are trying to sow is simply not ready. We have pearls to share, but we do not want them trampled and ruined. Our own wisdom is at play here as well because we must be able to discern the Holy Spirit’s direction in this. Let us be open to follow God and sow the knowledge we have in those He appoints. Father, help us in seeking the wise who will soak up and learn the knowledge and wisdom you have for us to share with them.