The Power of Who You Know
By Alexis A. Goring
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.” – John 14:6-7 NIV
“It’s not what you know; it’s who you know!”
Such a statement is said quite often in America when we are searching for our dream jobs. We hear that it doesn’t matter how well-educated and smart we are, or even how persistent and hard-working because often employers hire people who they know or have been recommended as a good fit for their team. I have heard stories of people who were not qualified for certain jobs being hired anyway because of who referred them to the employer.
One night as I prepared to sleep, I thought about this common situation and a spiritual parallel. I realized that when it comes to salvation, it is not what you know; it is who you know. The Bible says that knowing Jesus Christ is the only way to get into Heaven (John 14:6). He wants a personal relationship with us, one where we talk to, walk with, and work for Him. Ultimately, we follow Jesus all the way to Heaven.
On a metro ride home from work one evening, I had a conversation with a lady seated across from me that soon led to discussing faith. After something I said, her eyes lit up and she asked me, “Do you know Jesus?” I paused for a moment because I was thinking how I know a lot about Jesus. I write devotionals about Him and read Bible stories about Him. I can teach, preach, and speak about Jesus but, I wondered in that brief moment, do I actually know Him on a personal level? After some silence, I answered her question with one word: Yes.
Ever since that day, I have been more intentional about getting to know Jesus on a deeper level. I’m working on not only having a lot of head knowledge about God, but continually opening the door of my heart and inviting Jesus in. I ask God to live in me and shine through me. I want to be so close to Him that the next time someone asks me if I know Jesus, I won’t miss a second in responding with a resounding “Yes!”
There is a beautiful song called “All I Once Held Dear (Knowing You)” by Graham Kendrick and Robin Mark. The lyrics express that there is no greater gift in this life than to know Jesus Christ. And I often hear Christians say, “To know Him is to love Him.” I do love Jesus. They say when you love someone, you cannot stop telling the world about that person and expressing your affection. It is the same when we are in a relationship with Jesus. He saved our soul and made it possible for us to be reconciled to God (John 3:16-17). We only need to accept Him, trust Him, then follow Him.
When we know and follow Jesus, we know we will get into Heaven, which is the ultimate goal. Dream jobs or any good-paying employment will not last forever. Even if we make all the money in the world, we cannot take any of it with us to Heaven. And we cannot work nor perform our way into God’s Kingdom. Salvation is a free gift offered to all who believe in Jesus Christ.
Getting into Heaven is more about who you know not what you know. The Bible says there will be people whom Jesus turns away from entering eternity because He did not know them. Those people will protest that they did great works for God and prophesied in His Name. But Jesus will say, “I never knew you” (Matthew 7:21-23). It’s not enough to simply know a lot about Jesus and work for Him. We need to truly know Him like we would know a best friend or a significant other. We need to know Jesus as our Savior, Lord, and most faithful friend. The good news is that this is possible for each of us! It isn’t hard to begin a saving relationship with the Lord. The Bible says He stands at the door of our heart and knocks (Revelation 3:20), waiting for us to let Him into our life so He can spend time with us. Hold that thought. The Creator of the entire universe wants to get to know us and call us His Friend. Let that sink in. How wonderful is that truth?
Today, I encourage you and me to let Jesus in and get to know Him. He is waiting to spend time with us. Every morning that He allows us to wake up is another opportunity to draw close to His Heart, hear His Voice, and see His endless love for us. Jesus wants to spend eternity with us in Heaven, but we need to know Him to get there.
Intersecting Faith & Life: Do you know Jesus Christ? How does knowing Him change your view on life?
Further Reading:
John 17:3
1 John 2:3-5
Romans 6:23
Isaiah 43:10
What is the Difference Between Knowing Jesus and Knowing about Jesus?
Photo Credit: ©Unsplash/Wang Xi
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