Knowledge

I learned A LOT last week at camp. For starters, I learned that teenage boys like to do stupid things. Don't ask. I learned that when you sing on stage in front of a couple hundred preteens, you are automatically famous. All week long I was asked in awed little voices, "Are you the girl who sings?" or told "You have a really pretty voice." By the end of the week, I think they were just being polite because my voice got more and more raspy as time progressed. By Friday, I sounded like I'd been smoking all my life. Thanks, by the way, for all your prayers. They are the reason I had any voice at all. Praise God he can use anyone for his glory!! 
Let's see...I was reminded by the sermons that anyone can get trapped in sin (1 Corinthians 10:12-13), that sin is addictive and that our only hope is through the power of our advocate, Jesus Christ (1 John 2:1). One evening I couldn't stop crying during worship and not only because so many souls found Christ that night. The joy of my salvation was so clear to me. I was so grateful to God for his mercy and love.
I also learned things I wish weren't true. Some of the children are in horrible situations. They need our prayer and a whole lot of support.
Knowledge is important. Only the wise seek it. Proverbs 1:5 states, "let the wise listen and add to their learning..." Scripture makes it clear that knowledge is vital and the lack of which is fatal. Hosea 4:6 states,
"my people are destroyed from lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also reject you as my priests; because you have ignored the law of your God, I also will ignore your children."
All knowledge is helpful, even random facts that certain people I know tend to collect like grandmas collect knickknacks (at least mine did). These random facts are useful for trivia games or just sounding smart at the dinner table. However, the MOST beneficial knowledge is that of God. Spiritual knowledge is one of the steps to godliness (2 Peters 1:4-6). In his second letter, Peter encouraged his readers to "grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." (3:18)
So, how do we gain knowledge? We read his word; we listen to the Holy Spirit. Yes, it really is that simple. All we must give up is some time and effort. We do ourselves a disservice by not learning. How can we teach what we don't know? Believe me, I understand how hard it is to follow this simple truth. I'm very selfish with my time...
I'll end with this verse:
And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ. (Phil 1:9-10)