Then He went down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, and was teaching them on the Sabbaths. And they were astonished at His teaching, for His word was with authority.
Luke 4:31-32 NLT
I used to try to attend at least one conference or seminar per year to aid in my personal or professional growth. There isn't one that I can say changed my life forever, but I did learn a lot of little things along the way. I don't even remember the name of one presenter or the title of one conference. However, there was one I attended that stayed in my mind for a different reason.
I was so excited because a friend was going to attend with me - someone I held in high esteem because of her intelligence and wisdom. And it was one of the better seminars with regard to first-class style and presentation. When the speaker was introduced, his stage presence was palpable and understanding the rudiments of public speaking, within minutes he had connected to his audience with a few personal laugh-inducing anecdotes to break the ice. For me, it was downhill from there.
Once he got into his subject, he was a walking anthem of He Said, She Said. He could have been the catalog for Wheel of Fortune, full of famous (and not so famous) quotes and phrases. All.morning.long.
He regaled us with a complete inventory of facts he had memorized from books, volumes 1 through 50. She says this and he says that and this one says the other, and the other agrees with that one. There was not one illustration of personal application for any of it. I was not impressed.
For years, I have used two questions to define events of daily life. What was the best thing about it? What was the worst? My friend knew this and during the lunch break asked what was the best thing so far. My answer was, "The bacon at breakfast..." It was clearly not the answer she expected.
When I expressed my opinion of the speaker and his method, she patiently explained that it was how one learned, by reading the works of others who had gone before, rather like reading the Bible. She found the speaker to be quite knowledgeable. She said it lent credence to his job as a motivational speaker that he knew so many facts and quotes from other speakers on the subject. She was sure he had been laying the foundation of knowledge during the morning session and that after lunch, he would begin the practical application. At that point, I felt truly ignorant. So with renewed resolve to learn, I followed my friend back to the seminar.
The afternoon was worse. His sources by that time could have been his second cousin twice removed from his mother's brother's wife for all I know, but not one practical application. He did not speak with authority of what he knew. Being southern, we could not walk out in the middle of his litany, but by the mid-afternoon break, even my friend was ready to leave, so we did.
I have nothing against famous quotes or people who have written extensively about certain subjects. Quite the contrary! I love learning, and I collect quotes, but what good is it; what purpose does it serve unless there is some practical application?
Christ spoke with authority. It was obvious that He knew what He was talking about. When He said He spoke only what His Father spoke, He had lived it. He was the Word. He IS the Word.
When we speak of Christ or speak His Word, do we know that we know it or is it just something someone else said? You may not remember one famous name or quote, but that which you KNOW - that which has changed your life - can't be taken from you. No matter who says what...
Prayer:
Father,
According to Your Word in Psalm 119:37, Turn my eyes from worthless things, and give me life through Your Word. Keep me from vain sayings and useless knowledge. Let my life not be a trivial pursuit. In Jesus' Name I pray. Amen
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