Building One Another  

Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing. I Thessalonians 5:11

Do You Puff Up or Build Up?

Dear Friend,                                

In one of the great one-liners in the Bible the Apostle Paul wrote, “Knowledge puffs up but love builds up!” I Corinthians 8:1* It’s well worth repeating out loud!

Knowledge may lead to a swelled head yet love leads to a swelled heart!

Of course, Paul wasn’t opposed to knowledge.

His own letters have much to say about the knowledge of God and the knowledge of our own selves.

However, when on the basis of all that we know, we begin to pride ourselves above others, begin to think more of ourselves than others, we run the risk of using our knowledge to put people down rather than to build them up!

To “build up” is related to the construction of a building – or what we call an “edifice.” The idea is that loves builds up, it “edifies” other people in ways that will sustain and encourage their lives.

To build up people is to strengthen them. Instead of holding your knowledge over others, place it under them, to strengthen them, to support them and to build them up! Remember, knowledge may lead to a swelled head, yet love leads to a swelled heart!

Joy to you - Stan

© Copyright 2022 E. Stanley Ott

Scripture from the ESV

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1. Recall a person, who while very knowledgaeble, encouraged your heat. What did they do to build you up?
2. Can you think of a time when you held your own knowledge over someone, essentially putting them down while lifting your own self up?
3. Think about the people in your life and how you will seem to build them up.

Photo by John-Mark Smith on Unsplash