My Ignorance
By Lexi Cole Ellis
By Lexi Cole Ellis
“Do your best to
present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be
ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.”
2 Timothy 2:15 (ESV)
2 Timothy 2:15 (ESV)
Ignorance. It’s got to be on the list for one of the most-overused and
polarizing words. Doesn’t it just seem to seep judgement? Rather than engage in
a productive discussion over matters of disagreement, it’s so much easier for both
sides to just claim their opponents are simply “ignorant.”
Consider its actual
definition. The formal definition is “lacking knowledge, information, or
awareness about something in particular.”
But then our informal vernacular also adds the emotion of “rude, uneducated
or unsophisticated,” shifting the word from not just being uninformed but
adding insult. [1]
Maybe it’s an insult because
it’s a word that’s exclusively pointed at someone else? But then it made me wonder. What ignorance do I have? Where am I “lacking knowledge, information or awareness”? Rather than
pointing and being frustrated with the “other side,” where does my own selfishness,
or my individual privileges and experiences, prohibit me? What parts of God’s
kingdom-building am I missing out on because of my own ignorance?
Recently, Tim Bodnar,
the Vice President of Exploit No More, spoke at my church. [2] Even though I thought I knew quite a bit about human
exploitation and trafficking, his sermon revealed my lack of knowledge and a
lot of misconceptions on my part. The Holy Spirit convicted me.
What other topics
remain a no-no for believers to respectfully dialogue and biblically debate
among each other? If we don’t engage in humble learning and discourse, aren’t
we perpetuating our own ignorance? Even worse, if believers can’t respectfully
disagree and discuss our own “ignorance,” what hope is there for healthy debate
outside of the Church?
Jesus calls us to
identify our own ignorance. Much of His biblical teaching addresses and
corrects what others had distorted about God. Over and over again, Jesus also called
His followers to live counter-intuitively to their own selfish desires. Thankfully,
believers now have the Holy Spirit to help us discern and highlight when we are
lacking grace, compassion, information or awareness.
God convicts us when
we ask. It’s time that followers of God stop using the word “ignorant” as an
attack on others. Instead, let us start
pleading with God to reveal our own ignorance. Pray that He would show us what
following Him really looks like, and then pray that He would help us focus on what
His Kingdom-building work should entail.
GOING DEEPER:
1.
Take time to just focus on you. Pray that God’s Spirit
identifies areas of ignorance in your life. Then…what’s your next step?
FURTHER READING:
Lexi and her husband, Andrew, have an adorable dog named Calvin.
Lexi teaches sixth grade Reading and Writing. She serves with Children’s
Ministries and is the Fresh Start Coordinator.
[2] June 26, 2016. Oakwood Church.
Watch the sermon by clicking HERE.
