Knowledge *Isn't* Power

We’ve been told a half-truth.

"Knowledge is power" isn't the full story. 

Now, I've spent most of my life in school. I will probably spend much of my future in educational institutions. I'm not anti-knowledge.

But knowledge is often incomplete without action, and a desire for more knowledge can even get in the way of action.

In college, I often raised “awareness” about different causes. This often involved wearing a brightly colored t-shirt and then assuming I had done my part. I conveniently left the real work to other people. Something tells me my t-shirt didn’t do much.

If a Jesuit is feeling called to work in a particular area, a common tendency of ours is to do a degree in that field. Often after we’ve earned many other degrees. 

Now, it could make sense. Certain credentials may be necessary. But at other times, we already know enough to get started. What we really need is to get to work and learn by doing. Seeking another degree can be a way of hiding from the intimidating but necessary work of making a contribution.

Sometimes we tell ourselves we need more knowledge when what we really need is courage.