Puffy knowledge, or whack that man on the head with the Bible just one more 
time!

I Corinthians 8:1b We know that we all possess knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, 
but love builds up.

I graduated magna cum laude, with a 3.54 average, Phi Beta Kappa, with a BA in 
Religion when I was 22 years old. Man was I cookin! I was really smart back 
then. I was just lying in wait for some of those people to come knock at my door, 
so I could show them how wrong they were! 

And they'd come along, and give me their little canned talk, and then I'd pounce 
on them like a tiger on a rabbit. And usually they would run off before I was half 
through. Win arguments? Oh yeah, I was the queen.

But win the lost for Jesus? Nope, never did. And I asked the Lord, now what am I 
doing wrong? And He brought that scripture to my attention. I was puffed up by 
my knowledge, but not built up by love. And in consequence all I did was run 
people away.

I know the excitement of winning an argument. But this is flesh. To win the lost 
takes wisdom. Knowledge is important, but if it is not illuminated by the Holy 
Spirit and directed with love, it will profit you nothing and will not bring life and 
grace to those who hear it.

I Corinthians 13:2, 8 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries 
and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not 
love, I am nothing… Love never fails. But … where there is knowledge, it will 
pass away.

This is why I avoid controversy, pointless arguments and squabbles over 
doctrine. 

2 Timothy 2:23-26 Don't have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, 
because you know they produce quarrels. And the Lord's servant must not 
quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. Those 
who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them 
repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to 
their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to 
do his will.

Titus 3:9 But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and arguments 
quarrels about the law, because these are unprofitable and useless.

I want to lift up Jesus Christ, for He said, "But I, when I am lifted up from the 
earth, will draw all men to myself." John 12:32

Lord help us not to be puffed up with knowledge, but be filled with wisdom and 
love, not seeking our own exaltation, but seeing to bring the lost to the truth of 
salvation in Christ Jesus. AMEN 


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Posted at Ask OldTimer www.members.tripod.com/~KarleenP/text/askoldtimer.htm