“An educated man knows many things, and one with much experience will speak with understanding.” (Sirach 34:9)
One persistent myth among many Christians is the notion that there is something intrinsically meritorious about being an ignoramus. Such Christians typically boast “I’m not educated like all those fancy pants people with training in theology, but I know the Holy Spirit personally tells me [insert ignorant dogmatic opinion about spelling reform or the infield fly rule here].”
Such people invariably point to Christ’s tart words directed at the scribes and educated people of His day and say, “See! Head knowledge is worthless! But I am truly spiritual in my simplicity and lack of education.” They make an elementary mistake. The fact that Jesus rebuked educated people for being prideful about their education is a really bad reason for being prideful about our ignorance. It is pride, not education, that is the problem.
That’s important to realize, because the same people who advertise lack of education as a virtue are usually the ones who believe that understanding comes, not by trying to understand something, but by some sort of direct, telepathic “illumination” by the Holy Spirit, who just downloads into their minds God’s views of farm subsidies or fly fishing or the works of Ernest Hemingway and “empowers” them to sound off on these and other topics. Scripture contradicts them. The gift of Understanding comes to our brains the same way the gift of strength comes to our muscles — by exercise. Today, ask for understanding and then roll up your sleeves and crack the books.
