Loving to Know and Knowing How to Love
Scripture — 1 Corinthians 8:1-13 (NRSV)
Now concerning food sacrificed to idols: we know that “all of us possess knowledge.” Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. Anyone who claims to know something does not yet have the necessary knowledge; but anyone who loves God is known by him.
Hence, as to the eating of food offered to idols, we know that “no idol in the world really exists,” and that “there is no God but one.” Indeed, even though there may be so-called gods in heaven or on earth—as in fact there are many gods and many lords—yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist.
It is not everyone, however, who has this knowledge. Since some have become so accustomed to idols until now, they still think of the food they eat as food offered to an idol; and their conscience, being weak, is defiled. “Food will not bring us close to God.” We are no worse off if we do not eat, and no better off if we do. But take care that this liberty of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak. For if others see you, who possess knowledge, eating in the temple of an idol, might they not, since their conscience is weak, be encouraged to the point of eating food sacrificed to idols? So by your knowledge those weak believers for whom Christ died are destroyed. But when you thus sin against members of your family, and wound their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. Therefore, if food is a cause of their falling, I will never eat meat, so that I may not cause one of them to fall.
Focus
In addressing the issue of food sacrificed to idols, Paul works to uncover the underlying issues that need to be addressed if the community is to walk down a path of healing and reconciliation. Paul presents a contrast between knowledge that puffs up and love that builds up. For the Corinthians to know differently requires them to love differently—to attend lovingly to the weak consciences of others in the community. This way of knowing requires bonds of neighborly love that unites members together. Love is not devoid of knowledge but produces the right kind of knowledge: a knowledge of how to build up the body in specific instances of disruption and conflict.
Devotion
One of my fondest memories as a kid was the time I spent at my Lita’s house. Lita was the name of my paternal grandmother. (Abuelita means “small grandma” in Spanish and is often affectionately shortened to just “lita”.) I spent many days at Lita’s house during the summer with my older brother and three older male cousins. That’s right, my barely five-foot Lita was often helping raise five boys for days at a time!
Lita grew up on a small farm in Waco, Texas and never received a formal education. She would often say that reading was difficult for her, and I have memories of watching her slowly read the Psalms in her big King James Bible. But even though she thought of herself as lacking knowledge, she knew how to love her grandchildren. In the words of Cuban American theologian Kat Armas, she embodied an Abuelita faith.
Throughout the years, no matter how old we became, no matter how much we changed, Lita always knew what we needed. She knew when it was time for us to play in the yard, when it was time to help with the housework, or when it was time to get us back in line when we were acting out. She taught us the right way to hang the laundry on the line, told us about the various fruit trees in her garden, and emphasized the importance of soaking the beans before cooking them. Lita’s knowledge came from her work of raising a family: time spent growing food in the yard, making meals in the kitchen, and eating together around the dinner table. Through her love, she possessed a deep knowledge of the needs of her family and how to address them.
In 1 Corinthians 8, Paul presents a contrast between knowledge that puffs up and love that builds up. Paul uses the verb puff up (physioō) throughout 1 Corinthians to denote an arrogant posture that results in factions within the community—a puffing up that creates unhealthy and destructive separation within the church. Here, Paul is highlighting for the Corinthians how possessing knowledge without understanding the needs of the family of believers has led some of them to become arrogantly puffed up. Ironically, by possessing knowledge in a manner that is devoid of love, certain Corinthians are ignorant of how they are destroying other believers for whom Christ died.
In contrast, Paul points toward love that builds up. For the Corinthians to know differently requires them to love differently—to attend lovingly to the weak consciences of others in the community. Such a love is what drives Paul’s claim to never eat meat again if it causes another community member to stumble. This way of knowing requires bonds of neighborly love that unite members together. Love is not devoid of knowledge but produces the right kind of knowledge: a knowledge of how to build up the body in specific instances of disruption and conflict. In other words, these Corinthians needed to know their own church family like my Lita knew her family.
Whether we are called to a life of unpaid work such as raising a family, to a life of paid labor in the marketplace, or a life of repairing broken relationships in our organizations and communities, Scripture reminds us that love is the path forward. By extending bonds of neighborly love to those around us, we come to a knowledge of ourselves, not as isolated individuals, but in relation to God and others. We come to understand that simply knowing the right things isn’t enough if we don’t also know the people who are around us. A crucial aspect of our knowledge needs to be the needs of others so that we might act in ways that build up those around us, instead of inadvertently destroying those for whom Christ died.
Reflect
Have you ever been confident that you were right but went about it in the wrong way? How do you want to show up in future situations where you have the right information but need love?
How are you already extending bonds of neighborly love in your work and leadership? What kind of information does this provide for you, and how might you prioritize this kind of knowledge in your decision-making?
What would it look like for you to build up those around you and not puff yourself up at their expense?
Act
In your work, church, home, or neighborhood, make a genuine effort to extend neighborly love to someone around you. Then think about what kind of knowledge you gained about yourself and someone else through that act.
Pray
Gracious God, today, we are grateful that your perfect knowledge of us and all that you have made is full of your love. You did not leave us in our separation and alienation from you, but desired to draw close and heal us from our sin. In your great love for the world, you have restored us to yourself and to one another.
In imitation of Jesus and in the power of the Spirit, may we move others in love. Amidst the various disruptions and conflicts of our lives, teach us how to love and build up those around us who are vulnerable. And in this way, may we not wield our knowledge as weapons that tear apart our workplaces, churches, and families.
Amen.
Find all Life for Leaders devotions here. Explore what the Bible has to say about work at the High Calling archive, hosted by the unique website of our partners, the Theology of Work Project. Reflection on today’s Life for Leaders theme can be found here: What’s Wrong with Knowledge?.
Ryan Gutierrez
Director of Operations
Ryan Gutierrez works as the De Pree Center’s director of operations. He oversees the day-to-day administrative operations for the De Pree Center and directs the development and implementation of organizational systems, processes, and workflows. Ryan previously worked as the program sp...