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In Touch with the Infinite, May 16
Thus saith the Lord, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom,
neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man
glory in his riches: but let him that glorieth glory in this, that he
understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the Lord which exercise
lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in
these things I delight, saith the Lord.
Jeremiah 9:23, 24
.
There is an education which is essentially worldly. Its aim is success
in the world, the gratification of selfish ambition. To secure this education
many students spend time and money in crowding their minds with un-
necessary knowledge. The world accounts them learned; but God is not
in their thoughts....
There is another kind of education that is very different. Its funda-
mental principle, as stated by the greatest Teacher the world has ever
known, is, “Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness”
(
Matthew 6:33
). Its aim is not selfish; its purpose is to honor God.... God
is the source of all wisdom. He is infinitely wise and just and good. Apart
from Christ, the wisest men that ever lived cannot comprehend Him. They
may profess to be wise; they may glory in their attainments; but mere
intellectual knowledge, aside from the great truths that center in Christ, is
as nothingness....
If men could see for a moment beyond the range of finite vision, if
they could catch a glimpse of the Eternal, every mouth would be stopped
in its boasting. Men living in this little atom of a world are finite; God has
unnumbered worlds that are obedient to His laws, and are conducted with
reference to His glory. When men have gone as far in scientific research
as their limited powers will permit, there is still an infinity beyond what
they can apprehend.
Before men can be truly wise, they must realize their dependence upon
God, and be filled with His wisdom. God is the source of intellectual
as well as spiritual power. The greatest men who have reached what the
world regards as wonderful heights in science are not to be compared with
the beloved John or the apostle Paul. It is when intellectual and spiritual
power are combined that the highest standard of manhood is attained.
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