Have you ever heard the phrase, “Ignorance is bliss”? To be honest, it can be blissful in certain situations. I have heard people say that, “You don’t wanna know how sausage is made.” Therefore, I will remain blissfully ignorant and enjoy eating sausage. However, there can be a dangerous aspect to ignorance. This phrase may invoke thoughts of someone who is surrounded by danger but because they are unaware, they have a carefree attitude. They make decisions, and take risks, without realizing the potential consequences.
The phrase comes from a poem by 18th Century poet, Thomas Gray, in which he ends it with, “…where ignorance is bliss, ‘Tis folly to be wise”. Are you walking through life in ignorance? Are you shunning wisdom? If you are not reading your Bible daily, then the answer to both of these questions is, “Yes.” The Bible is our direction and guidance for life. It teaches us who God is, how He loves us, and how to love Him in return.
In 2 Kings 22, there was a young king named Josiah. He had directed the high priest to restore the house of the Lord. While they were performing the work, the high priest found the book of the Law (the Bible) in the house of the Lord. Then Shaphan the scribe showed the king, saying, “Hilkiah the priest has given me a book.” And Shaphan read it before the king. Now it happened, when the king heard the words of the Book of the Law, that he tore his clothes. (2 Kings 22:10-11)
Up until that point, King Josiah had reigned for 18 years ignorant to the Word of God. Once he was given wisdom, he tore his clothes as a sign that his heart was torn before God. He did not stop there but purposed to do what was written in the Bible. He abolished false gods in the land of Judah and dedicated his life to worshipping God.
Is the Bible “lost” in your house? I encourage you to begin to read it today. If you have never read through the Bible before, I recommend a chronological reading plan that you can find online. This will help put events in order and (hopefully) give you a better understanding. Do not stay ignorant become blissfully wise!
For more on the Word, read Take Inventory.
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Copyright 2020 T.L. Lockley. All rights reserved.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
