Knowledge and Zeal

     ​There is an old story of a boilermaker repairman who was hired to fix a large steamship boiler. After listening to the engineer’s description of the problem and asking a few questions, he enthusiastically went to the boiler room and looked at the maze of pipes. He listened to the thump of the boiler and the hissing sound of the steam for a few minutes. Then he reached into his overalls and took out a small hammer and tapped a bright red valve, once. Immediately the entire system began working perfectly and the boilermaker went home. When the steamship owner received a bill for $1,000.00, he complained that the serviceman had only been in the engine room for 15 minutes. He requested an itemized bill for the repair. The bill read: For tapping with hammer - $1.00 and for knowing where to tap - $999.00.
     Never underestimate the value of acquiring and applying proper knowledge. The prophet Hosea speaking for God said, “My people are destroyed for a lack of knowledge” (Hosea 4:6).  Of course, in the context of Hosea Chapter Four the knowledge of God was available to the people, only they did not apply it to their lives.  Nonetheless, knowledge of what God’s will is for us is important, but even with knowledge we need the enthusiasm to obey God’s Word. 

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Clark Tatum