Ignorance is Costly

Christian Treasure Devotion

Christian Treasure Devotion

Anchor Scripture: 1 Corinthians 2:8 (NLT): “But the rulers of this world have not understood it; if they had, they would not have crucified our glorious Lord.”

Be richly blessed in Jesus' name. Amen.

How Costly Can Ignorance Be?

Imagine you enter a supermarket, and an item is labeled “Ignorance,” with a price tag of $1 million. That illustrates just how costly ignorance can be. Let’s gain some insights from two stories.

Not long ago, I was at a place gathering some items when I overheard a conversation between two women. They were clearly deep in discussion before I arrived, both waiting for their turn. The woman in the blue gown was recounting an incident that happened in her church some time ago. It was during Holy Communion, and the communicants had all lined up to receive the bread and wine from the presiding priest. When it was the turn of a certain woman, the priest passed her by without placing the bread in her palm, and, of course, she also missed out on the wine. As all the others collected their communion and left, the woman remained waiting. Another group arrived, and the priest served everyone except her. Frustrated, she stormed out of the church, claiming the priest had disgraced her.

The woman in blue then told her companion that the reason for this was that “the woman was a witch.” She suggested that the priest could see her true nature, which was why she was denied the bread and wine. Her listener quickly agreed, believing that must have been the reason for the denial. However, as I pondered the story, the Holy Spirit started to teach me a valuable lesson.

From my experience in the Orthodox Church, I know there is a specific posture one must take to receive Holy Communion: one must kneel and clasp both palms together. This was something taught in the preparation classes. If someone did not attend those classes, even if everyone else was perfectly positioned, that individual would lose the opportunity. The two women had misunderstood the situation. The priest did not deny the woman Holy Communion because she was a witch; rather, she likely was not a communicant, which means she was not baptized according to Orthodox doctrine.

Story 2: Ignorance is Costly

During a civil war in her country several years ago, a woman went to her farm to gather some raw food. On her way back, she discovered a hand grenade on the ground. Mistaking it for a toy, she planned to take it home to give to the children and placed it in the basket on her head. Unfortunately, she tripped and fell, causing the grenade to explode, resulting in her tragic death. This incident underscores that ignorance can have fatal consequences.

The Devil's Costly Mistake

Our anchor scripture illustrates the grave mistake the enemies of righteousness made regarding Jesus’ crucifixion. Apostle Paul explains that Jesus' death fulfilled God's plan, while His resurrection from the grave defeated the powers of darkness and granted Jesus authority over death and life. Thus, His earthly ministry was accomplished.

Lessons Learned

Ignorance can be extremely costly. There are some forms of ignorance that, once acted upon, can lead to irreversible consequences. May the Lord help us in Jesus' name. Amen.

Prayers

Dear Father, thank You for Your words today. Please deliver me from ignorance that can lead to irredeemable losses, in Jesus' name. Amen.