CWE Pre Camp Devo #4

2 Peter 1:5b

” For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge”

Psalms 119:66

“Teach me knowledge and good judgment, for I believe in your commands.”

Proverbs 10:14

“Wise men store up knowledge, but the mouth of a fool invites ruin.”

“THE FIANCE”

The first time I can recall talking to the guy, I really didn’t connect the dots.  It was at a 30^th birthday party for my daughter, Angela, at the home of a close camp friend, Sarah.  The guy seemed like a nice enough guy—he is an Aggie (always a plus with me).  I spoke to him as he stood outside by the garage, with Sarah’s husband, Bryant.  I remember that much. 

Sarah and Bryantmet at camp through a set-up orchestrated by Angela.  Now happily married, they live in Houston.  Unbeknownst to me and, more importantly, unbeknownst to Angela, Sarah and Bryant were returning the favor (the “set up” favor).  I talked to Bryant and this guy(named Stephan) for a while about Aggie sports and that was it…or so I thought.  Fast forward a month or so to December and I hear my daughter is dating someone, reluctantly at first, but dating nonetheless.  By Christmas I find out that the guy’s name is Stephan and I am reminded by my wife that I met him at the birthday party.  O.K., so now I am starting to figure it out…that is why this guy Stephan was at the birthday party to begin with. 

I really don’t get to meet the guy as my daughter’s boyfriend until mid-March, when my daughter is finally convinced that her mother and I are not going to run him off.  And instead of just meeting him, we spend an entire weekend with him and my daughter in Chicago (NCAA basketball tournament).  When your team loses its first game on Friday and your return flight is not until Monday morning, there is a lot of time left to get to know someone.  And that trip is when I first really started to get to know Stephan, who is now my daughter’s fiancé. 

There are lots of things I like about Stephan.  He is patient, kind, absolutely adores my daughter, and is committed to the selfless type of love that every husband should have (and every summer staff member should have).  Those are the types of things that are important to the father of the bride (and the guy in charge of a summer camp).  But something else, maybe not as important but impressive nonetheless, is how much Stephan knows about a lot of different things.  He is smart, yes, but I am not talking about intelligence.  Instead, I am talking about knowledge.  Stephan knows a lot of stuff about a lot of things.   From baseball trivia to politics, from architecture to art, from pop culture to ancient history, he is just a reservoir of knowledge.

As Peter continues to encourage and instruct believers regarding their responsibilities to the Kingdom of God, and as we begin to prepare for our amazing opportunity of working all summer with kids, he (Peter) adds another building block to the life of Christians and summer staff members.  Today he tells us that after you have settled the matter of your faith and after you have sought to be good, you must then seek knowledge.  To be effective at camp this summer and to be effective as a Christian (as long as you are on this Earth) seeking knowledge that can only be provided by scripture is required.  Our faith settles our future, our goodness starts us on our journey as witnesses to the difference Christ can make in our lives, and knowledge provides us a roadmap of where we are going.  I can have a gas tank full of goodness and be driving a luxury vehicle of faith, but at some point, I need to know how I am supposed to get where I need to be in order to complete the journey, the journey of an effective believer.  All of us need to make it a habit to know the Word so we can speak the Word, but more importantly, so we can live the Word.  Kids respond positively to deeds and attitudes, not words. Without knowledge we don’t have the necessary roadmap to get us where we need to go as witnesses for Christ. 

As this summer approaches create a habit, if you haven’t already done so, of getting to know how Christ wants you to live your life through what is in His Word, this summer and beyond. Only through knowledge of His Word, can you have knowledge of all that Christ is and all that He wants us to be.  Only through knowledge of His Word, can you begin to be conformed more to his holy likeness.  God’s Word is truth and only through the knowledge of truth can you live the effective life God wants you to live.  The life-long quest of every Christian is to know God more deeply, more fully, more completely…this summer and beyond.

As for Stephan, the walking encyclopedia, last October we had lunch, at his request.  He was probably hoping for a 10-minute conversation and my permission. What he got was 2½ hours of my knowledge…and then my permission.  Welcome to the family, Stephan.  You are a good man.  Welcome to camp, summer staff member, it’s gonna be quite a ride.  Believe me.I “KNOW.”