Don't Know and Don't Want To Know

Ignorance is not bliss. There are some things that we do not know but we need to know. It is a sad thing to not want to know if the pain in your chest is indigestion or if you are having a heart attack. It is a sad thing not to want to know if the charter plane that you are getting ready to take is being piloted by a real pilot or the man in the hanger who commandeered the plane because it looked easy enough to him even if he did not have any training. It is a sad thing not to want to know if the bridge your are getting ready to drive over is strong enough to go over even though you see many signs detouring you around it. There are many things in life that we do not know that may eventually work out to either a major or minor annoyance or disturbance. However, there are also many things that we do not know that could make the difference between life and death.

Recently, I heard a very excited person, speaking over the other voices of reason saying "I don't care if I'm wrong, I'm going to have my way". I remember another conversation with a person explaining to me that their life has been channeled by the things that happened in their childhood and they had no interest whatsoever in hearing how a different course of action might be more beneficial.

We are born sinners, not wanting to do right as defined by what we learn in the Bible. Many have navigated life here on earth and have been interned with grandiose headstones proclaiming their accomplishments. The bigger question is whether they knew or wanted to know about the God who allowed them to make those accomplishments.

Proverbs 4:7 states that wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom and with all thy getting get understanding. In other words, you need to know. You need to know if you have indigestion or if you're having a heart attack, or if the pilot of the plane is qualified or if the bridge that you decided to drive across in spite of the warnings is safe to cross.

I'm intrigued by the high priest and counsel, the elders, the scribes and the people in Acts 7 who purposed to kill Jesus. They did not know and they did not want to know and when the full explanation was given to them by Stephen of the scriptures, they still did not know and did not want to know. They were called stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, always resisting the Holy Ghost as their fathers did. As further evidence that they did not know and did not want to know, they gnashed on Stephen with their teeth and eventually stoned him to death. What is the eternal fate for someone who acts like this? We are commanded in 2nd Peter 3:8 and generally the entire chapter not to be ignorant of the things of God for the day will come when the Lord will appear as a thief in the night and the heavens will be on fire and shall be dissolved and the elements shall melt with fervent heat. It is a matter of life and death.

Do you know? Do you want to know or are you one that "don't know and don't want to know"? Selah