Shepherd’s Corner - 05/22/2016

Peace Part 4

We know many, many things. We know facts. We know languages. We know laws and rules. We know good manners and bad. We live in a world where one cannot live without good information about how to live day by day today. But facts and customs are not enough to give us real knowledge about how to be a human being. Being a person involves so much more than simply gaining knowledge.

We learn things two ways. One is by reading and learning. This way gives us information about the world. Remembering information helps us with information about the world. But we also know what the world is like through experience. We may find out from the newspaper or internet that the weather may get very hot today, but until we go outside and feel the heat we won’t “know” what “very hot” is really like.

The same thing goes for our understanding of right living. We can learn about morals and values, but until we practice them we do not know the full benefit of being a wise and mature person. We usually learn good judgement from experience, but so often we gain experience from making bad decisions. There is a better way to learn.

What about knowing Jesus? We can learn many facts about Him through studying the Bible. This is the necessary starting point to understanding what is truly most important. But what if knowing Jesus goes far beyond reading a book and remembering information from it? What if you could experience life with Jesus? That is the point about Jesus’ birth and life among us—so that we can know Him. That is actually what the Bible is about: You can know Jesus both through the Bible and through experiencing real life with Him. Through your study of the Bible you can see how God will work both through your knowledge of the greatest book in history, but also through His work in your life as you listen to and follow Jesus. That is because Jesus is alive and well and working in our world. He can show this to you. He is still with us. He is still here to live with you, to love and guide you, so that you may fully know Jesus.

WBD Bible, page 1377 Roger Nickels, elder