BP 32 - Self-knowledge, a meditation
It’s been said that the highest form of human knowledge is self-knowledge. I both agree with and disagree with this statement. My disagreement lies, mostly, with the stopping of the argument at the general (and exquisitely broad) category of “self-knowledge.”
To begin, what is self-knowledge? Is it knowledge? Certainly. Knowledge about oneself? Most assuredly. But it’s more—MUCH MORE!!—than just knowledge about oneself. Self-knowledge is knowledge about oneself that’s truly “lived” and “experienced.” In a word, self-knowledge is “wisdom;” and it’s real (that is, based in reality) and not abstract [considered apart from concrete existence; not applied or practical; theoretical; difficult to understand; abstruse]. Wisdom is knowledge of oneself (and of why one exists [which is rooted in belief]) lived out congruently and concretely—and lived out well [this is also the definition of goodness].
You say you know how to make your bed. Well… that’s all fine and good. The question I have for you is this: After getting out of bed each morning, do you actually make your bed? And how well do you make it? And… do you know why you make it and why you make it the way you do? Knowing something, or knowing how to do something, is meaningless unless you actually do it. Wisdom is doing well—from the times, spaces, and places of genuine wholeheartedness, integratedness-of-belief, and congruency-of-being—something you already know how to do, know why you do it, and know why you do it the way you do it.
So, back to my original claim…
Yes, I believe that the highest form of human knowledge is self-knowledge (that is, wisdom [being good]) that’s lived out consciously; more than that, though, I believe that the highest form of human wisdom is to know and experience oneself [I define this as active—putting-to-flight—experiential belief] known thoroughly, loved through and through, and breathed and uttered eternally into continuing (that is, eternal) existence as well as enduring health, uprightness, vitality, versatility, and ebullience by God (that is, The Trinity). This kind of human knowledge—this wisdom of integratedness-of-belief and congruency-of-being that’s divinely-imparted by God—can be received and experienced only as you, the creature [The Generated One], turn toward the Life, Light, and Love and toward the Glory, Goodness, and Gladness that is Your Creator [Your Generator]. For it is through this experiential knowledge—this Divine wisdom that arises from experiential belief—that you can begin to know and experience God as…
The Eternal Knowing One, Who Knows You Thoroughly…
The Eternal Loving One, Who Loves You Through and Through…
And…
The Eternal Living One, Who is Your Life [The Breath in Our Lungs, The Life in Our Blood, The Stamp upon Our DNA, and The Creating/Recreating Voice of Our Continuing (that is, Eternal) Existence As Well As Our Enduring Health, Uprightness, Vitality, Versatility, and Ebullience].
There is, in my estimation, no higher form of human knowledge than that of possessing this particular strain of holy, God-breathed wisdom: The tangible, experiential, and existential self-knowledge of knowing yourself known thoroughly, loved through and through, and sustained eternally by God.
Many will argue that knowing and doing God’s will is the highest form of human knowledge. I consider that a statement worthy of significant contemplation. My current responses to that statement, arising out of my extended contemplation of it, are as follows: What is the ultimate will of God for any and all of us? To let ourselves be loved by God the way He wants? Absolutely. To love God back eternally? Certainly. To love ourselves eternally? Most assuredly. And then, to love eternally those around us in the very same ways in which we love ourselves? Without a doubt. In fact, it’s all the above [see Mt 12:28-34]. The will of God, then, for all of us, is, in a phrase, “To be and become Eternal Love Just Like Lovingkindness Himself.” Juxtaposing this fruit of God’s Grace with what Jesus taught in Lk 7:36-50, the ability “to love much”—to be like God, who is Lovingkindness by Self-definition—grows in the fertile soils of “our knowing ourselves (through active—putting-to-flight—experiential belief) lovingly forgiven of much by God.” It is Spirit-inspired wisdom, then, that enables us to become like God. One could then argue, “Well, looking at things in that manner, perhaps being Love Like God is the highest form of human knowledge.” I consider that, also, a statement worthy of significant contemplation. My current responses to that are as follows: Because God is infinite in His Beingness, we will always be in a state of being and becoming like Him. Because God promised we’d one day be like Him, and (paradoxically) because it will take all eternity to be like Him, He’s gifted us with eternal life so that we can experience progressively the ever-increasing, never-ending fulfillment of that promise. Accordingly, wisdom—the godly wisdom of active, concrete [real, the polar opposite of that which is abstract], experiential belief—is the fertile soil in which The Trinity-breathed, Trinity-ordained love-fruit of being like God grows. And, therein, lies my point in all this: The highest form of human knowledge—the most fertile soils for our growth—is to know ourselves, through active, experiential belief, known thoroughly, loved through and through, and sustained eternally by God. Knowing—experientially and existentially—God’s life-giving knowledge of and love for us in this way is what enables us to be and become (ever-increasingly) Eternal Love Just Like Lovingkindness Himself. The truly wise man or woman, then, is the one who allows God to love him or her in all the ways in which He (that is, God) wants to. In a manner, loving God, loving ourselves, loving those around us, and even loving the whole of creation, is the inevitable, ever-fruiting, ever-ripening response created in us by experiencing ourselves known, loved, sustained, embraced, forgiven, welcomed, desired, and invited (into intimate relationships) eternally by God. God’s love is the most powerful force in all creation. Allowing ourselves (that is, actively believing ourselves) to be loved by Him is all about immersing ourselves in Him-already-eternally-and-lovingly-immersed-in-us-and-in-those around us. My friends, this on-going, immersive experience is the highest form of ever-increasing self-knowledge a human being can experience (read, “acquire”).
To begin, what is self-knowledge? Is it knowledge? Certainly. Knowledge about oneself? Most assuredly. But it’s more—MUCH MORE!!—than just knowledge about oneself. Self-knowledge is knowledge about oneself that’s truly “lived” and “experienced.” In a word, self-knowledge is “wisdom;” and it’s real (that is, based in reality) and not abstract [considered apart from concrete existence; not applied or practical; theoretical; difficult to understand; abstruse]. Wisdom is knowledge of oneself (and of why one exists [which is rooted in belief]) lived out congruently and concretely—and lived out well [this is also the definition of goodness].
You say you know how to make your bed. Well… that’s all fine and good. The question I have for you is this: After getting out of bed each morning, do you actually make your bed? And how well do you make it? And… do you know why you make it and why you make it the way you do? Knowing something, or knowing how to do something, is meaningless unless you actually do it. Wisdom is doing well—from the times, spaces, and places of genuine wholeheartedness, integratedness-of-belief, and congruency-of-being—something you already know how to do, know why you do it, and know why you do it the way you do it.
So, back to my original claim…
Yes, I believe that the highest form of human knowledge is self-knowledge (that is, wisdom [being good]) that’s lived out consciously; more than that, though, I believe that the highest form of human wisdom is to know and experience oneself [I define this as active—putting-to-flight—experiential belief] known thoroughly, loved through and through, and breathed and uttered eternally into continuing (that is, eternal) existence as well as enduring health, uprightness, vitality, versatility, and ebullience by God (that is, The Trinity). This kind of human knowledge—this wisdom of integratedness-of-belief and congruency-of-being that’s divinely-imparted by God—can be received and experienced only as you, the creature [The Generated One], turn toward the Life, Light, and Love and toward the Glory, Goodness, and Gladness that is Your Creator [Your Generator]. For it is through this experiential knowledge—this Divine wisdom that arises from experiential belief—that you can begin to know and experience God as…
The Eternal Knowing One, Who Knows You Thoroughly…
The Eternal Loving One, Who Loves You Through and Through…
And…
The Eternal Living One, Who is Your Life [The Breath in Our Lungs, The Life in Our Blood, The Stamp upon Our DNA, and The Creating/Recreating Voice of Our Continuing (that is, Eternal) Existence As Well As Our Enduring Health, Uprightness, Vitality, Versatility, and Ebullience].
There is, in my estimation, no higher form of human knowledge than that of possessing this particular strain of holy, God-breathed wisdom: The tangible, experiential, and existential self-knowledge of knowing yourself known thoroughly, loved through and through, and sustained eternally by God.
Many will argue that knowing and doing God’s will is the highest form of human knowledge. I consider that a statement worthy of significant contemplation. My current responses to that statement, arising out of my extended contemplation of it, are as follows: What is the ultimate will of God for any and all of us? To let ourselves be loved by God the way He wants? Absolutely. To love God back eternally? Certainly. To love ourselves eternally? Most assuredly. And then, to love eternally those around us in the very same ways in which we love ourselves? Without a doubt. In fact, it’s all the above [see Mt 12:28-34]. The will of God, then, for all of us, is, in a phrase, “To be and become Eternal Love Just Like Lovingkindness Himself.” Juxtaposing this fruit of God’s Grace with what Jesus taught in Lk 7:36-50, the ability “to love much”—to be like God, who is Lovingkindness by Self-definition—grows in the fertile soils of “our knowing ourselves (through active—putting-to-flight—experiential belief) lovingly forgiven of much by God.” It is Spirit-inspired wisdom, then, that enables us to become like God. One could then argue, “Well, looking at things in that manner, perhaps being Love Like God is the highest form of human knowledge.” I consider that, also, a statement worthy of significant contemplation. My current responses to that are as follows: Because God is infinite in His Beingness, we will always be in a state of being and becoming like Him. Because God promised we’d one day be like Him, and (paradoxically) because it will take all eternity to be like Him, He’s gifted us with eternal life so that we can experience progressively the ever-increasing, never-ending fulfillment of that promise. Accordingly, wisdom—the godly wisdom of active, concrete [real, the polar opposite of that which is abstract], experiential belief—is the fertile soil in which The Trinity-breathed, Trinity-ordained love-fruit of being like God grows. And, therein, lies my point in all this: The highest form of human knowledge—the most fertile soils for our growth—is to know ourselves, through active, experiential belief, known thoroughly, loved through and through, and sustained eternally by God. Knowing—experientially and existentially—God’s life-giving knowledge of and love for us in this way is what enables us to be and become (ever-increasingly) Eternal Love Just Like Lovingkindness Himself. The truly wise man or woman, then, is the one who allows God to love him or her in all the ways in which He (that is, God) wants to. In a manner, loving God, loving ourselves, loving those around us, and even loving the whole of creation, is the inevitable, ever-fruiting, ever-ripening response created in us by experiencing ourselves known, loved, sustained, embraced, forgiven, welcomed, desired, and invited (into intimate relationships) eternally by God. God’s love is the most powerful force in all creation. Allowing ourselves (that is, actively believing ourselves) to be loved by Him is all about immersing ourselves in Him-already-eternally-and-lovingly-immersed-in-us-and-in-those around us. My friends, this on-going, immersive experience is the highest form of ever-increasing self-knowledge a human being can experience (read, “acquire”).
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MRL Maxim: In a word, self-knowledge is “wisdom;” and it’s real (that is, based in reality) and not abstract. Wisdom is knowledge of oneself (and of why one exists lived out congruently and concretely—and lived out well.
MRL Call-to-action: This week, do whatever you can to immerse yourself in God-already-eternally-and-lovingly-immersed-in-you-and-in-those-around-you.
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