You’ve probably heard the phrase “knowledge is power”. This is commonly used to simply say “it is better to be informed”. You likely have also heard the phrase “power corrupts”. I don’t think any of us can argue with that one. I’ve often seen posts online seeking to provide humor by combining these two sayings. “Knowledge is power, power corrupts, so study hard and be evil.” We can all get a good laugh out of that. However is it true? Does knowledge itself corrupt?

I don’t think there’s an easy answer to this. I think most Christians would take the stance that knowledge itself is not a bad thing, as long as it is discerned with wisdom and humility and compared to God’s word. This makes sense. The Bible certainly seems to agree.

Proverbs 18:15 (ESV) – An intelligent heart acquires knowledge, and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.

Proverbs 2:10 (ESV) – For wisdom will come into your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul;

So then can knowledge corrupt? I would say that like any good gift God gives us, we are absolutely capable of misusing it and causing corruption. In the case of knowledge, this comes into play with knowledge that is not intended for us.

Each person has secrets for example, things that are between only themselves and God. It is entirely possible that these secrets are better kept that way. We certainly don’t need to know everything everyone else knows, nor should we share to the world everything we know.

1 Corinthians 12:8 (ESV) – For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit,

Isaiah 55:8 (NIV) – “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD.

Proverbs 11:13 (NIV) – A gossip betrays a confidence, but a trustworthy person keeps a secret.

Also see Proverbs 25:9, Proverbs 12:23, & Proverbs 18:6-7. It’s made pretty clear in the bible that while knowledge is good and to be favored, not all knowledge is meant for everyone. My challenge to you, and especially to myself (because I have been so guilty of this) is to be patient when it comes to knowledge. Both in the pursuit to gain, and the eagerness to share. Let’s present ourselves to God and ask what is good in his eyes that we and others know.

Lord God, thank you for the person reading this. They are truly a miracle of your hand. I pray that you would guide them and myself this week, that we would both think humbly and patiently about knowledge we desire, and knowledge we have. Please show us what you want us to learn, and what you want us to share. Help us to accept what is not for us to know, or not for us to speak of. We know that your plans are better than our own. In Jesus name, amen.