There is a story about a college professor who developed a revolutionary new formula and was invited to travel from college to college as an after dinner speaker to explain his discovery. He was furnished a limousine with a chauffeur who accompanied him and heard him give the exact same speech every night, months on end. As they were driving into a small mid-west town one evening the professor complained of not feeling well and suggested that he and the chauffeur exchange positions since no one there had ever seen either of them and the chauffeur could pose as the professor and give the talk for him. The chauffeur was quite agreeable to the suggestion since he had heard the talk so many times he knew it by heart. Everything went quite well until after the talk, the chairman announced that they were going to entertain questions from the floor for the professor to answer. The first question was quite long and involved and so the chauffeur rose to his feet, smiled, and thanked the questioner for asking it, and explained that since it was such a simple question, he was going to let his chauffeur answer it for him.

Could we be like the chauffeur? Do we know a set of canned beliefs but we are unable to answer a question or offer an explanation if we are called upon to give an answer for the hope that is within us?

Do we know facts by rote but we are unable to apply those facts to our everyday life in a practical way? Unfortunately there are a lot of people in the world who know a great many ”facts” but seem not to be able to use these ”facts” in a way that has any useful benefit.

The college professor not only knew the formula but he also knew how to apply the knowledge for useful purposes. The chauffeur knew the speech but did not have a clue as to how ta apply what he knew.

Do we know the first principles of the truth but yet in our every day worka-day life we seem not to be able to apply what we know to how we live? It is important that we know the truth.

It is equally important that we live the truth. Since we know that we are only going to receive as much mercy as we show how can we then treat one another the way we do? How can we be so demanding upon others, and so lenient with ourselves?

The chauffeur may have known the professor’s speech and could recite it perfectly, we may know the truth backwards and forwards, but if we do not apply that which we know, what good is it?

In fact, our knowing and not doing, could be a lot worse than not knowing. Peter tells us that ”It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness than to have known it and then to turn their backs on the sacred command that was passed on to them.”

Are we properly applying the knowledge we do know? How has the truth changed our lives, not by what we know, but what we do, not by what we say, but by our actions? The chauffeur could give a good talk, but he did not have a clue how to answer a question or apply the knowledge that he had heard.

The truth must have a profound effect upon our lives. It is not just something to know. not just something to believe, although all that is important, it is something to do, a way of life to live.

Let each of us ask ourselves these questions. How is my life different because of what I know? How is my life more godly because I love God? Do I treat others differently because of my love for Jesus? ”Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me,” said Jesus. ”And whoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward.”

The way some of us treat others in the name of Jesus Christ must make him weep. It isn’t that we do not know the truth, it is that we do not show the love that Jesus demanded of his followers. And we do it all in his name?

Jesus got down on his hands and knees and washed the feet of Judas Iscariot even after Judas had made his agreement to betray him. Would we do that?

God speaking through Isaiah describes how we can cast out our brethren while we are saying ever so piously, ”Let the Lord be glorified.” God goes on to tell us that ”He shall appear to your joy” (the ones being cast out) ”and they shall be ashamed.” (the ones who were casting out their brethren).

Let us not be like the chauffeur who knew all the right words but could not apply them. One of our hymns concludes with the line, ”Help us this and every day to live more nearly as we pray.” We need to ask God to help us so that we may live more nearly as we know as well as we pray.