Mr. or Mrs. Know-it-all

Principle #2

The other day, I blogged about how God revealed to me the 5 Important Principles for Ministry. I stated that the #1 principle was that we should find common ground with those we come in contact. Today, we will be discussing principle #2, Avoid a know-it-all attitude. 

"For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among

you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think........."

(Romans 12:3)

Have you ever met someone who thinks that they know everything? It's hard for you to tell them anything. It's even hard for you to communicate with them. It's as if their ears have been closed so that they hear noone's voice but their own. In God's eyes, that is bad for ministry. Now let's get something straight. The word ministry here does not mean that you have to be a Minister (with a title). When you become a child of God, you automatically become a minister. You become a minister of the truth. Your everyday life that you live before people is a ministry. Your ministry. With your life you minister to those you come in contact with on a daily basis. 

If your life is anything like mine, from living alone, with the everyday hustle of being a wife and parenting children we discover that we do not know it all. There is something new to be learned everyday. There is another task that you and I become responsible for carrying out. We have not arrived nor will we ever arrive to the Know-it-all stage. To me, that's the beauty in being a child of God. 

When Paul said that he became all things to all men, I picture him humbling himself and bringing himself to the level of those he was trying to reach. In so many words, he confesses that he didn't know it all. In fact, I believe that in order for him to be effective he had to study and observe the people. He had to become accustomed to their likes and dislikes. He had to find out what was effective in leading them to Jesus Christ. And he did all of this without compromising his relationship with Jesus Christ. 

The important thing to remember about this principle is this, we once used to be where the people we come in contact with, who don't know Christ are. Just as God has raised you up to a higher level in your walk with Him, He is now using you to bring up someone else. In order to do that, your eyes have to be open to the possibility of learning the things that you don't know while effectively equipping the other person with the things you do know. 

God states that with the merciful, He will show Himself merciful. One who confesses to know it all is not one who walks in mercy. Brothers and sisters, this thing ought not be so. 

And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins,

in which you once walked according to the course of this world.......

(Ephesians 2:1-2)