Friday, December 25, 2020

Understanding

     The Merriam-Webster dictionary has a plethora of definitions for the word “understanding.” 

     1a mental graspCOMPREHENSION

     2athe power of comprehending especiallythe capacity to apprehend general relations of particulars

       bthe power to make experience intelligible by applying concepts and categories

     3aa mutual agreement not formally entered into but in some degree binding on each side

       bfriendly or harmonious relationship

       can agreement of opinion or feelingadjustment of differences.

     We want to think that simply by living our lives and having the various experiences we do that we will be able to understand the things that are going on around us.  I think most of us realize that that is not the case!  There are so many things that happen in this world for which we simply do not have an explanation and thereby have no true understanding.

     Take for example the ever-present nature of WAR!  We are not born with the inclination to go to war with someone.  We do not simply one day decide that this is the time for war?  War is a learned activity.  We begin by developing a dislike for some group or nation of people, which leads to our development of a hatred for them.  We then, at some point, feel that we should make the decision that THEY are not worthy of having an existence, so we “go to war!”

     The truly sad part of this development is that, when asked, most people will clearly respond with a fear of war, a real desire never have to participate in such an activity.  Most people will never want to have a war, but it happens!  That’s why we can say that there is no real understanding to this kind of behavior.

     Some people feel that they have to understand everything!  If they can’t understand it, they will never believe it.  Reminds me of the scene in “The Empire Strikes Back” (1980) when Master Yoda trains Luke Skywalker about the force.  When Luke’s fighter is sunk into the marsh and he is unable to retrieve it, Master Yoda does.  Luke is confused and says: “I don’t believe it!”  Master Yoda replies, “That is why you failed.”  You may want a reminder of this scene: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7BrcqtC9hhw

     There are many things in this present world in which we live that most of us truly do not understand how or why these things function as they do, but this does not stop us from using and gaining benefits from them.  A couple of simply ones:  Our automobiles.  We get in them and if there is fuel, we drive off.  We rarely give thought to how that vehicle is functioning, just that it does and we can use it.  Also, consider our cell phones.  All the unbelievable things they are able to do for us.  How does your phone work?  Most of us have no idea, but using them is not a problem.  We only have to believe that what these and other marvelous inventions of man claim they will do, they WILL do, as they have promised.  We then have to learn how we are able to benefit from them even though we have no real understanding of how they are able to function as they do!

     However, in other situations we still want to completely understand BEFORE we are willing to believe.  The problem is that there are things that we, as humans, may never fully understand, but we can still gain benefits from them if we prepare ourselves for them.  Consider 1 Corinthians 2:9 from the Bible: “But just as it is written: “Eye has not seen and ear has not heard, nor have there been conceived in the heart of man the things that God has prepared for those who love him.””

     It always seems to be our present condition that holds us back from what will truly be the best conditions every that man will be able to enjoy.  When it concerns the power of God, we become like Luke Skywalker, “I don’t believe it!”  And that is “why we fail!”  We’re only human!


QUOTE TO CONSIDER



THOUGHTFUL GEM


"It's difficult to respond with an answer

if you do not understand the question!"



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