An Inkling
It’s not what
you know, but who you know…
Usually I hear that offered as a cynical take on “why he got
the job instead of me.” But it’s also a
crucial insight for spiritual life.
David Brooks is a recent example of one who is very wise in
the ways life actually works. Despite
the fact that he is not a Christian, much of what he writes in his books and
for the New York Times resonates with
biblical insights. He is clearly
informed by his Jewish roots, and he is well studied in Christian thinkers,
from Augustine to Dorothy Day, making him a favorite writer among many
Christians. But as I read him I can’t
help but feeling that something is still missing. It’s
not what you know, but who you know…
I saw the same dynamic some years ago with Scott Peck. He was a psychiatrist, whose best seller, The Road Less Traveled, resonated with
wisdom, much of it aligned with scriptural insights, though he himself was not
a Christian. As it turned out, soon
after he wrote The Road Less Traveled
he became a Christian – and the crucial missing piece was provided. So he said himself. It’s
not what you know, but who you know…
That’s what Jesus claimed – about himself! Knowing all manner of wisdom is not
enough. Knowing him is. It’s
not what you know, but who you know…
May it become so for David Brooks and many like him.
Blessings,
Keith
