Knowledge That Puffs Up

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Audio: https://youtu.be/K9qAWZ4Z3G4?si=AARXunqfSvrQkAVz

I remember attending revival meetings, homeschool conferences, ladies’ retreats, marriage seminars, and Bible study groups. At home, I spent entire days listening to online preaching while doing housework. There were moments when the Lord stirred my heart, but that was all. Nothing changed because the truth never reached my heart. Cognitive overload. I had no time to stop and meditate.

Please do not misunderstand me. These things are good. They are helpful. And surely, do not think this means you should skip church because it feels overwhelming. I believe with all my heart in being at church whenever the doors are open.  But I have learned something important. To guard my heart against pride, I have to do things differently. When I read, when I listen, when I attend a meeting, I do not move on until I take hold of one truth. I study it. I meditate on it. I make it my focus. I ask the Lord to help me live it out.


 If we only listen and learn but never act, we become prideful. Knowledge alone sits in the brain and swells the heart with pride. It puffs up. It convinces us we are growing when we are only gathering information. I have learned to keep it simple. One truth at a time. I study it. I meditate on it for a day or sometimes many days. I stay with it until it becomes real in my life before I move on to the next thing.

The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 8:1, “Now as touching things offered unto idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth.”


Paul makes it clear. Knowledge by itself is not the goal. Knowledge without action inflates the heart and leads to arrogance. Real love builds people up. Love cannot remain trapped in the mind as theory. It must be poured out in action. It must touch others. Truth must be lived, or it will only leave us proud and empty.

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