Skill to do comes of doing; knowledge comes by eyes always open and working hands; and there is no knowledge that is not power. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson Though the phrase “knowledge is power” differs from author to author, it generally means that with knowledge or experience ones wisdom, potential and power in life will increase. The first reference to this phrase however, was not by Ralph Emerson but by Solomon in Proverbs 24:5 “A wise man is strong and is better than a strong man, and a man of knowledge increases and strengthens his power.”(Amplified)
If you study the history of the labor law, you will see that the workforce psychology went through different stages. In the early years of industrial psychology there was a firm believe among high levelled, skilled managers, that if you can control information, you can control the employees. And if you study the history of the church you will see that the exact same thing happened during the Middle Ages, whereby only the Priests could read Latin (the Bible was only available in Latin at that stage). This gave the church the ultimate power. (Source: www.greatsite.com). But the church demanding power is also not a new concept, as it happened right from the beginning. Luckily God has always been in control, so Jesus knew what was going on (and what were to come) so He told the church leaders in Luke 11:52 “You’re hopeless, you religion scholars! You took the key of knowledge, but instead of unlocking doors, you locked them. You won’t go in yourself, and won’t let anyone else in either” (Message Bible). So the concept of believing that knowledge is power, is really not new.
So the question on the table is, is knowledge then power? Or is it a selfish act whereby you don’t share important information, just to maintain authority? And was Solomon maybe misunderstood, that he only meant knowledge will empower you, but not give you the ultimate power to suppress the growth of those around you? (I know this is a mouth full, so maybe pause for a while and think about it, and then continue…) The Uncommon Sense website break this phrase down as follow: Knowledge = Options = Power They say “When we educate ourselves, we learn new things that we were previously unaware of. |
This gives us the ability to make better decisions, come up with more evolved and intelligent thoughts, improve the lives of ourselves and those around us,, and thus makes us more valuable people overall.” (Source: www.uncommonsense.is)
Hosea 4:6 “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.” If I read this verse, my personal conclusion to this discussion would be that knowledge is the keyword, and not power! We need to open ourselves up to a new learning experience every day, and we need to expand our horizons, and learn about the world and about people. Improve your understanding by reading more factual articles and listen with an open mind to what others say. But most of all, create a curiosity for God, His character, and His Word!
Daniel 6:13 “Then they said, ‘Daniel, one of the Jewish exiles, ignores you, O king, and defies your decree. Three times a day he prays’.” (Message Bible) We need to become more like Daniel. Instead of focusing on how to increase our power and influence in society, we should rather focus on increasing and strengthening our spiritual power and options. “How?” you may ask. Expand your knowledge through time in God’s Word, and increase your wisdom through time in prayer!
We look forward to a year of change, and a year of spiritual blessing through renewed strength and knowledge, as well as a willingness to read and learn about our Father, with all our fellow women of the Word.
Blessings
Yolandi
Hosea 4:6 “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.” If I read this verse, my personal conclusion to this discussion would be that knowledge is the keyword, and not power! We need to open ourselves up to a new learning experience every day, and we need to expand our horizons, and learn about the world and about people. Improve your understanding by reading more factual articles and listen with an open mind to what others say. But most of all, create a curiosity for God, His character, and His Word!
Daniel 6:13 “Then they said, ‘Daniel, one of the Jewish exiles, ignores you, O king, and defies your decree. Three times a day he prays’.” (Message Bible) We need to become more like Daniel. Instead of focusing on how to increase our power and influence in society, we should rather focus on increasing and strengthening our spiritual power and options. “How?” you may ask. Expand your knowledge through time in God’s Word, and increase your wisdom through time in prayer!
We look forward to a year of change, and a year of spiritual blessing through renewed strength and knowledge, as well as a willingness to read and learn about our Father, with all our fellow women of the Word.
Blessings
Yolandi