A relatively productive day even though there were a few distractions but thank You Father for the ability to focus to get done what I did get done!
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I listened to a couple of TikTok videos today and came across a very interesting one posted by a TikToker(?) labeled @lizardbrainlearning. It dealt with what she called the “Curse of Knowledge”.
She spoke of a Stanford student by the name of Elizabeth Newton. In the 90s she conducted a study in which the participants were to clap out the rhythm of a very familiar song – and they used “Happy Birthday” and several other songs.
They were to clap the song for a bunch of people. But before they did so, she asked them how many people they thought would know the song just from the rhythm of it. The people who participated estimated that about 50% of those who listened to them clapping out the song would know what it was – about 1 in 2 people. In reality, only 2.5% – that is 1 in 40 – guessed correctly!
So, the question asked was, “Why is that?” Why were so many people unable to figure out what the song was? It was obvious to the participants what they were clapping because they knew they were clapping “Happy Birthday” but those listening could not hear it. Those clapping had lost the ability to empathize with those without the knowledge that they had.
The takeaway from the study is that once we learn something, we lose the memory of not knowing it and we lose empathy for people who don’t know it.
My mind leaped to how we reach the world with our knowledge of Christ. Many believers can’t get past the hesitancy to share their faith, but those who make it past that point can get frustrated because oftentimes people don’t seem to be able to grasp what we’re talking about.
The Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 2:13-14 had this to say,
We also speak of these things, not in words taught or supplied by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining and interpreting spiritual thoughts with spiritual words [for those being guided by the Holy Spirit].
But the natural [unbelieving] man does not accept the things [the teachings and revelations] of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness [absurd and illogical] to him; and he is incapable of understanding them, because they are spiritually discerned and appreciated, [and he is unqualified to judge spiritual matters]. AMP
In the next chapter that when he first came to speak to the Corinthian people, Paul goes on to say…
…brothers and sisters, I could not talk to you as to spiritual people, but [only] as to worldly people [dominated by human nature], mere infants [in the new life] in Christ! 2 I fed you with milk, not solid food; for you were not yet able to receive it. 1 Corinthians 3:1-2 AMP
So, don’t give up because those listening to our “song” don’t know what we know! We need to change our tactics. Keep it simple. Don’t overwhelm them. Be patient. Be empathetic. Be loving. …and in time many will come to know what we know!
Jan 26th, 2023, Thurs, 7:18 pm
