Understanding

15 Jul

“Only if we understand, will we care. Only if we care, will we help. Only if we help shall all be saved.”  ~ Jane Goodall

Jane Goodall was a woman on a mission.  She had a love for anthropology and for primates.  She is the world’s leading expert on  chimpanzees, so well has she come to know and understand them.  When she shares here thoughts with us today, she brings to us the necessity to understand that which we view. So often, people go through life without any critical understanding and that is what leads to their confusion, doubt, and even despair.

Understanding is extremely important.  Without it, we would make wild assumptions about things and those assumptions could get us into big trouble.  Goodall wanted people to understand the primates she studied as well as nature in general.  She believed that there is a lot that can be learned by coming to know all that is around us.  In learning, we could go the extra step to ensure the survival of things.

Understanding is important in our faith lives as well.  If we do not understand God and His ways, we will be lost as we would be reduced to guessing at best.  Most certainly, we will never be able to understand God completely.  However, the gift of understanding will open our minds up to things that we might not have considered otherwise.

Jesus told his disciples that He would send the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit would make them understand all that Jesus had taught them.  Understanding would help the disciples comprehend the teachings of Jesus, to understand His Word, to understand the Gospel, and to understand God’s Word.  Understanding would lead to a closer relationship with God and would keep His disciples on the path that leads to the Kingdom.

We are in need of understanding.  Too many go around as self-proclaimed experts yet have no understanding of God’s ways or God’s will.  They can be a spiritual danger to themselves as well as to others who listen to them.  Asking God to shower upon us understanding is a good thing to do.  As Jesus promised understanding to His disciples, He promises it still.  Just ask it of Him.

FAITH ACTION:  Ask God for the spiritual gift of understanding.