How Much Do You Need To Know?

Knowledge is a great thing! We strive for deeper knowledge at every turn. From a very early age we seek to grow through learning. We learn from our parents as they talk us through new tasks. We learn as we watch people do things we’ve never attempted. We learn from teachers, pastors, grandparents, and so many other grown-ups in our lives. Our society is driven by the idea of gaining knowledge. We ask our young people what their plans are after high school. We apply pressure to our young adults when we ask what they want to “do with the rest of the lives.” It’s all about more and more knowledge!

But at what point is enough…enough? When can we just move forward with the knowledge we already possess? Sometimes a desire for more knowledge is a stall tactic for not taking action. There comes a time when we must put our knowledge into practice.

This is true for our worldly knowledge (the how-to’s in life) and for our knowledge as followers of Jesus. A brother pastor once asked the question – How much do you need to know to share the Jesus that you know?

What a great question! It’s such a challenging idea to begin acting on what we know. There’s fear that seizes us. Fear of not knowing enough. Fear of not being talented enough to actually do what we’re setting out to do. Fear of not being able to answer questions that others may have of us. But when it really comes down to it, application of knowledge, and sometimes failure, are the best ways to learn.

Now let’s be clear, I’m not saying that we should stop learning! When we stop learning, we set ourselves up for greater failure than we can imagine. So keep learning. Read new books. Talk to people who are smarter than you. Go to conferences from time to time and ask tons of questions. Never stop learning! But don’t let your quest for more knowledge stop you from applying what you already know.

I see this far too often in the church world. We want just one more program or one more book. We need to attend one more conference or hear one more expert in the field and then we’ll be ready! If that’s the case we’ll never be ready! There’s always another self-proclaimed expert. There will always be another book on the shelf we can pick up. Conferences abound in the church today. But what’s lacking? Action.

How many times did Jesus tell his disciples to sit down and listen? How often did he tell them to wait until the time was right? The vast majority of the time He is telling them to go, follow, and do. This is our task as well. We’re called to go where he went. We’re supposed to follow where he leads. We’ve been given the task of doing what he did.

Keep learning. Keep growing. Read more books. Listen to people who’ve been there. But nothing is a substitute for action. How much do you need to know to share the Jesus that you know? The answer is very simple – nothing. You know everything you need to know to invite someone into a relationship with the Jesus you know. Let them ask questions. Be willing to say, “I don’t know.” Following Christ is about the relationship and the journey of faith more than about the vast amount of knowledge we can stack up.

Go, follow, do – something to share the Jesus that you already know.