Light vs. Knowledge What are You Accumulating

Across the bay from my home town of San Francisco sits Berkeley, California, home to a major university. In the middle of the campus is a large clock tower called the Campanile. On top of that tower is inscribed a verse from Genesis 1:3: “Let there be light.”
But the words on the Campanile have been tampered with. They do not refer to the glorious light that God initiates in Genesis 1. They do not refer to the clarity that we receive when we understand the world from God’s perspective. What is being elevated on that tower is knowledge, the knowledge that comes from sitting in classrooms and listening to professors interpret various areas of study. In the minds of most educators, light is equated with knowledge. Is that knowledge bad or of little use? In most cases not. But as a graduate of that school system, I can tell you the knowledge presented is devoid of the light that brings you into God’s presence.
One of my son’s college professors opened a class by saying, “I used to be a Catholic, but don’t worry; now I’m an atheist.” As an atheist, he was quite sure what he had to teach would be of more relevance than something presented by a believer in God. It would also be devoid of real light.
When God said, “Let there be light,” he spoke of a light of a different nature. It was a light that banished darkness and created an anticipation of good things to come.
What’s the first thing you would do if you were about to work in a dark place? You’d turn on the light. And that’s what God did. He wanted to work in the darkness of the physical world and so he turned on the light. Today, he works in our lives by turning on the light of Jesus Christ.
Let’s be clear: light and knowledge are not equivalent. Don’t settle for knowledge when light is available. This light radiates God’s glory and presence. On day one of creation, God allowed his radiance to visibly illuminate an earth in darkness. His light works the same way today, casting the light of Christ into our spiritual darkness. Because this greater light is important to God, his enemy does what he can to minimize its impact. He does that by co-opting the value of the word, itself.
Consider that the so-called “enlightened ones” in our society have become the intellectuals and artists. In most cases, these “enlightened ones” do not lead society into a greater realization and experience of the God who created all things. In fact, the greater the impact of our so called “enlightened” community, the lower our standards of morality seemingly sink.
The “enlightened” ones in India are the gurus, who leave their families and all material possessions to live lives of complete denial. Many of them walk naked through the streets. I have seen them covering themselves with dirt and wearing long tails to honor the monkey god. I have seen them bowing down and making offerings before seven-headed golden cobras on behalf of fearful masses. They are the enlightened ones.
Is that true light? No.
And what about the so-called “Age of Enlightenment?” Was that a period of history where the knowledge of the true God and his desire for mankind was heralded around the world? The hallmark of the Age of Enlightenment was not God but Reason. And Reason did not lead that era to God. That is what light is for.
Light opens the door to life. And life is found in Christ.
The apostle John described Christ as follows: “In him was life, and the life was the light of men.” Zacharias the priest described Jesus as one who would “give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.” Jesus himself declared to his followers in John 8, “I am the light of the world: he that follows me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.”
Real light contains far more than knowledge. Real light is the presence of Christ himself, the image and radiance of God. He illuminates our path, showing us how to know God and follow him. Jesus Christ came to turn the light on in our lives. Let’s say to him, “Lord, turn on the light. Reveal who you are and what your purposes are.”
Resist the inclination to be a knowledge seeker. Instead, sit in the presence of Christ and allow him to illuminate your world. The result will be life. Resist the temptation to simply pack truth into your head. Go deeper and ask God for light. It is his intention to shine light into our lives. He will answer your call.