Ignorance Is Not Bliss

Joyful is the person who finds wisdom, the one who gains understanding.

Proverbs 3:13 (NLT)

There is an old saying that states, “Ignorance is bliss.” Bliss, for those who may not know, is perfect happiness. In other words, those who don’t know anything are always very happy. However, I’ve seen indicators that perhaps us humans have gotten it wrong. How do I know that? I’ve met many ignorant people that were anything but happy. Before you jump to conclusions, let me explain.

Ignorance is a lack of knowledge or understanding of a particular subject. When it comes to God, there are many ignorant people in the world. This isn’t to say they’re stupid. They simply don’t have correct information about Him. They don’t know Him. Perhaps you see where I’m going with this. If not, I’ll state it plainly. The ignorant people I’ve met, who are not happy, don’t know God. And, here’s the sad thing, some of them sit in the pews (or chairs) of our churches around the world every weekend.

If, as we’ve discovered with our last couple of Daily Doses, God is the source of wisdom, then we have a major disconnect. As our verse today describes, those who have wisdom of God, and from God, are joyful. Why then are there so many Christians who have no joy?

Before we move on, we must also define joy – because growing up I was ignorant of what joy actually meant. Joy isn’t a temporary state of happiness. Instead, joy can still be felt and understood even in times of sorrow. For example, a dear friend of mine passed away not too long ago. I was sad to see him go. Yet, inside me I still felt joy because: 1) I got to know him before he passed, and it was a blessing. 2) I know that I will see him again when Jesus returns and raises the dead. So, I have reason to be joyful!

To be truly joyful, we must have wisdom of God. It is through a relationship with Him that we come to understand God more and more. It is through this relationship that God’s wisdom is poured upon us. It is through this relationship that we experience joy every day of our lives, no matter the circumstances. We must connect with Him so that ignorance fades, and wisdom reigns. Bliss doesn’t come from ignorance, it comes from a right relationship with Jesus Christ.