-Gavin Aleogho

For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.

1 Corinthians 13:12.

There is this old famous Indian fable of “the six blind men and the elephants”. The story speaks of six blind men who went to explore what an Elephant is. The story has it that they all came back with different reports about what an elephant is.

The first said an elephant looks like a wall because of its broad sturdy side which he felt.

The second, who felt the tusk, said an elephant is like a spear.

The third blind man who happens to take the squirming trunk within his hands said that the elephant was like a snake.

While the fourth, who felt the knee, reported that the animal is like a tree.

The fifth, who by chance touched the ear, reported that an elephant was like a fan.

The sixth man, who seized on the swinging tail, claimed that the elephant is like a rope.

All six men disputed among themselves, holding strong to their personal opinion based on their own personal reality. Although each of them is partly correct in his own right. The question then is of the six men, who was correct?

Definitely, none of them was correct. They were all wrong. To have accurate Knowledge of the subject in question, they must all consider the view of each individual and bring it together on a table.

Sometimes, we act like those six blind men. It is ignorant and foolish to hold on to a perspective of a matter without considering other views. It is wise to consider other people’s views before coming to a conclusion about a matter. This truth should be applied to our views on doctrines, politics, religion, everyday issues and the rest.

One of the major causes of war and strife between men is the acclaim superiority of knowledge over each other. Knowledge puff up, that is what the scripture says.  Knowledge in itself makes men proud and even arrogant.

Knowledge puffs up, but Love edifies.

1 Corinthians 8:1

This is why a Christian must balance knowledge with humility and love. The absence of humility and love in the heart of a man that has knowledge will only make the man proud and offensive.

Knowledge is dangerous and destructive when it is void of love and humility. It only becomes a weapon of oppression in such cases. But it is good and beneficial only when it is coupled with love and humility.

Humility, on one hand, will make you stoop low to consider another person’s view. And love, on the other hand, will help you not to act presumptuously. Rather, love will make you find a way to use the knowledge you have acquired to benefit your fellow man.

Besides, we should know that as humans, our knowledge is limited. Whatever we think that we know is not the final knowledge. Thank God for what we know presently; like we often discover that there is more to whatever we think we know.

In the same vein, not until we are willing to see and consider the views of others, we might as well be living in our own world of self-denial and self-deception.

Use the views of others to critically challenge and scrutinize what you know. This is how the wise increase in knowledge.