“They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him. They are detestable, disobedient and unfit for doing anything good.”      Titus 1:16 (NIV)

When we first started our family and began to raise children, my husband and I found ourselves saying “No, No” quite a bit. We caught ourselves doing this so much with one of our children that we started calling the child Little Baby No No.

No, No – Don’t touch.  

No, No – Don’t put that in your mouth. 

No, No – Don’t use markers on the wall.

No, No – Don’t interrupt.  

Over time, we took the disobedience and the ultimate questioning personally as if the children were making us say No or treating us like the bad guy.

No – you can’t snack an hour before dinner. Why?

No – you can’t wear that. Why?

No – you can’t stay out after 10. Why?

No – you can’t go home with that person after school. Why?

Shamefully, the answer to why was often, “Because I said so. That’s why.”

As the children grew older and wiser, so did we. As parents, we understood that the No was nothing more than a negative response without a foundation. Our growing children wanted to know more about the why and we needed to provide it.

Part of human growth and development is learning discernment. How can we expect children to learn to make good choices for themselves if we don’t give them the knowledge and logic behind those choices?

Our relationship with God is the same. We have the Ten Commandments with the Thou Shalt Nots and an entire collection of books in the Old Testament portion of the Bible, which contain more rules and don’ts. As times have changed over these last 2000 plus years, some of those old No No’s are tested and we begin to question – just like our children. 

We are children of God so questioning is natural. It is part of our Christian growth. God prepared for these times, for our why’s – much better than I prepared for the bigger questions my adult children have thrown my way. He is not a “Because I said so kind of God.” 

He wants us to know why; therefore, God has given us Know Knows – so to speak. He outlined the hard No’s – His nonnegotiables – but He also left us with volumes of the Knows, knowledge and understanding for the ages. 

As humans, we all experience growing pains. Some when we are younger and more when we are older. For this, God equips us explaining the why so we can learn and practice discernment.

Here is my list of God’s Know Knows:

Know Worry. Know God.      Matthew 6:32-34

^“Only people who don’t know God are always worrying about such things. Your Father in heaven knows that you need all of these. But more than anything else, put God’s work first and do what he wants. Then the other things will be yours as well. Don’t worry about tomorrow. It will take care of itself. You have enough to worry about today.”

Know Love. Know God.          1 John 4:7-8

^“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.” 

Know Grace and Peace. Know God. 2 Peter 1:2-3

“Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.”

Know Contentment and Strength. Know God.         Philippians 4:11-13

“I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.”

Know Faith. Know God.         Ephesians 2:8

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—”

Know Salvation. Know God.              Romans 10:9

“If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”

Know Eternal Life. Know God.           John 3:16

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

Many times in our life we hear No, No. Sometimes it comes from God. Remember this doesn’t have to be negative. Focus on God’s Know Knows which give you a strong foundation of knowledge and wisdom to continue to grow and walk in His way. 

Dear Lord,

Thank you for providing me with direction for the days ahead. I am appreciative of your patience as I learn – sometimes the hard way – and continue to grow in knowledge of You learning the plans You have for my life. I long to be Your little baby Know-Know in the days ahead. 

Amen.