Blog

Aug 22, 2025 06:00am

How Love Opens Doors That Knowledge Alone Can’t

124 Views

“People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.”

Maybe you’ve heard this before, or maybe you’ve even experienced it.

When someone shares information, we often tune them out. We switch off our ears and ignore what they have to say: “They don’t know me. They don’t know a thing about what I’ve been through, what I deal with, or who I am.”

Then they share a story—a personal, vulnerable account of something they experienced, along with the reason why they are so vocal about what they are sharing.

Then they stand right beside you in the trenches, getting their hands dirty and putting forth effort to help the situation, not just talking about it.

Then they offer compassion, care, and love.

That’s what Paul wanted to remind the church of as he responded to their questions.

1 Corinthians 8:1
“But knowledge puffs up while love builds up.”

Paul begins to address Christian freedoms and starts with their questions about food offered in idol worship.

Here’s the context:

This was a pagan city. They worshipped false gods and sacrificed animals in their temples. They would then take much of this meat and sell it to a butcher, who would then sell it in the marketplace. So, if someone bought meat at the marketplace, they could unknowingly be eating meat that was sacrificed to idols. This, as you may remember, was addressed in Acts. The Jewish council had determined that new gentile believers didn’t have to follow all the Jewish laws and customs, but they did need to abstain from eating meat sacrificed to idols (Acts 15:20, 29).

Paul began his answer to their question by reminding them that love was important if we want to reach people with the gospel. Knowledge is great, but it can make us prideful and sound like arrogant know-it-alls if we aren’t careful.

Honestly, I have to stop myself sometimes. I want to say something that’s the truth. I want to point it out in Scripture. I want to correct them—tell them they are wrong. But I close my mouth, because…

Are they willing to listen? Why would they, unless they know I truly care about them and not just the fact that I might know something they don’t? Am I saying this from a place of love?

And because, I was once there too.

I once lived as if I knew, and yet, I really knew nothing.

I needed someone to be patient with me, share the truth in love, guide me with kindness, and show me grace.

Is this how we are leading others? Show them you care. Show them the love of Christ. Help them to come to know the Lord, and then allow the truth to unfold before their eyes.

This is what discipleship is all about, folks. It’s relational. It’s transformational. It’s about loving each other and walking hand in hand through life as we learn more about Christ and His beautiful plan of redemption.

Do you want to see and learn more? Not because I have some great revelation from God, but because I want you to see and experience the love Christ has for you and the change He can make in your life. He has a purpose for you! He created you specifically for this! Don’t you want to know what it is?

Go to FOLLOW.Lifeword.org to begin. Grow in Christ.