| This article is part two in a series about life lessons | | | | This knowledge Paul writes about is not an intellectual |
| from the Randy Paush story and Philippians 1:9-11. | | | | knowledge, but goes much deeper. It is, if you will, an |
| When I first heard the Randy Paush story I made an | | | | experiential knowledge. A knowledge that comes from |
| immediate connection with this passage in Philippians. | | | | experience. I can say that as a Christian of more than |
| Paush, who learned he was dying from cancer, came | | | | thirty years that this is true. There are some things I |
| to know some things at a deep level in a way that | | | | knew intellectually for a long time, but didn't really know |
| only life can teach. | | | | (that is, understand deeply) until life's experience taught |
| To show you the connection between Paush and this | | | | me. |
| passage, let's look at some in the verses for a few | | | | The next words Paul uses are depth of insight. This |
| minutes. | | | | term is only used here in the NT. It is found 27 times in |
| Let your love abound, Paul writes. Abound is a favorite | | | | the Septuagint which is the Greek translation of the |
| term of Paul's. With a little research, I found that of the | | | | OT. (by the way, a professor of mine used to get |
| 39 times this word is used in the NT, 26 of those are | | | | upset that people mispronounced this word. It's |
| from Paul's pen. When it comes to our love for each | | | | correctly pronounced like Sep-ta-gent, not |
| other, Paul is saying, a little dab won't do you. Not a little | | | | Sep-tu-a-gent). Twenty two of those occurrences are |
| here and there, but pile it on. Like when I'm in the buffet | | | | in Proverbs. That's a tip off as to the flavoring of the |
| line and the chef wants to give me a sliver of roast. I | | | | word since Proverbs, part of the wisdom literature of |
| say, hey man, I'm a big boy, pile it on. So it is with love. | | | | the bible, is largely about practical and wise living in a |
| It's also a a love that grows from knowledge. | | | | wide range of situations. Paul says let your love |
| Knowledge is from a basic Greek word epignosis | | | | abound in knowledge and insight so that... |
| used by Paul 15 times, and used in this context not as | | | | You can discern what is best. To discern something |
| mere mental assent but a personal knowledge, the | | | | means to prove it by testing it. I found a passage in |
| kind that's going to lead to a righteous life that glorifies | | | | Luke 14:19 where the word discern is used about a |
| God. | | | | man invited to come to a banquet, but he says he |
| I could explain the Grand Canyon to you in great detail | | | | can't because he's bought some oxen and needs to |
| with scientific jargon. For those of you who have seen | | | | test them. He needs to try them out. |
| the Grand Canyon, do you think people really know | | | | The next article in this series will look at the key word |
| and understand the Grand Canyon from my | | | | in this passage and its meaning. That word is "best." |
| description? There's no way those words do justice to | | | | What is best? |
| the grandeur of the Grand Canyon. | | | | |