It is Not What You Know but WHO Knows You

Did you hear me correctly? Notice I did not say, “It’s not what you know, but who you know.”
The meaning of this well-known statement is generally understood as, “you have connections that are more important than your skills or abilities.” This phrase is commonly used when less qualified people get positions well above their level of competency. However, I stated, “It’s not what you know but WHO Knows You.” The clear difference is between “you” and “who.”

Who you know vs Who knows you

Christian Religion admonishes us to know God. The emphasis is on YOU knowing. However, the apostle Paul admonishes through the Corinthian letter, “We all possess knowledge.” But knowledge puffs up while love builds up. Those who think they know something do not yet know as they ought to know. But whoever loves God is known by God.”

Paul is saying, “It’s not what you know but WHO Knows You.” Too often we, like the Corinthians were persuaded through Christian religion, to seek God to know Him by all means, praying, fasting, studying His word, and availing ourselves to various other “means of grace.”

Certainly there is nothing wrong with reading scripture or praying. However, as many sincere Christians have testified, having done these and many other well intended things they still find themselves floundering in their faith. In spite of their sincere efforts, the question many Christians find themselves asking is, where is the freedom that Christ promised?

Why do I struggle continuously with the same fleshly issues? Why do I feel rejected and live-in shame after all that I have tried to do? My best efforts to know God have fallen short, resulting in viewing myself as a failure as a Christian. I might as well throw in the towel and give up on trying to live the Christian life. You may find yourself strangely relating to these sentiments, however, would it surprise you to discover that God is pleased that you have failed to live the Christian life? That is right, because God never intended you to do so.

The Christian life is the Christ-Life, not your best efforts to live for Him. It is not about how much you know about God, but rather are you known by God? Knowing God does not start with you or what you can do. There is a huge difference between knowing God and being known By God. Unless we change our focus from attempting to know God, to being known By God, we will never experience Life As God Intended.

You may ask, what is the difference? Let me explain. Think about it this way. Knowing God focuses on you. Knowledge focuses on what you know. You knowing His Word, what the scripture says, is an emphasis on what truth is. The focus is on an acquiring of knowledge about God hoping for a better relationship with Him and a more consistent behavioral expression “being right and doing right.” Are you catching it? It is all about the knowledge that you have.

You might have thought of this in terms of the “Should Of, Would Of, and Could Of” which of course is grammatically incorrect, but perfectly illustrates the point of pursuing knowledge, rather than being known by God. I should have read my Bible, I should have spent more time with God, I should have prayed for many hours a day. I, I, I, the focus is on me. These “Should Of, Would Of, and Could Of” ironically only lead us further away from God causing us to be guilted in blaming ourselves for not measuring up.
Often when a Christian feels this way, they revert to Fight, Fright or Flight when overwhelmed by the impossible, believing they are not good enough.

Once again, the idea that it is up to me to know God, is a heavy burden – no one was intended to bear. At this point of despair many cannot face God believing God sees them as a failure. Still others will double-down and become obsessed, striving harder to be all that God would have them to be. These Christians can become callous and ridged in their legalistic beliefs. They become indifferent to the needs of others, even self-righteously debating their religious beliefs. The craving to “know God” rather than “being known by God” leads to performance-based acceptance. Our view of God is based solely on how well we are performing for Him. Failure is seen as inadequately “knowing God.” Had they known God better, prayed more, studied the bible more they would not have failed God. But because they have, they are failures, and the only remedy is to go back to basics, start over and try harder. The religious treadmill of performance.

The greatest fear of a religious Christian is to be labeled a “disappointment to God.” Christianity is not about being right, it is about being known by God. God’s primary concern is not that we learn lessons from the circumstances of life. Instead, it is that we remain relationally receptive to His desire, to manifest His loving character by His grace in every circumstance of our lives. Therefore, Christianity is not simply a change in direction, but recognizing a change in connection. A spiritual exchange has already occurred! We are NOW KNOWN by God and CALLED by HIS NAME, Christians, Christ-ones.