I'll Never Be a Jeopardy! Champion

I don’t follow the game show Jeopardy! too closely, just catching a show here and there. But it does catch my attention when I hear about a champion that keeps winning night after night. Such has been the case with the current Jeopardy! champion Matt Omodio who, as of Thursday, September 30, 2021 has won 32 games and $1,212,401.  That’s absolutely amazing!  

What impresses me about Jeopardy! champions is the amount of knowledge they carry around in their heads. After all, they are being asked to come up with information (albeit often trivial information) about literature, history, art, geography, pop culture, science, etc., etc.  And those who win day after day, and especially those who win week after week, are demonstrating an incredible breadth and depth of information that somewhere along the line they have studied, somehow learned, or simply absorbed. 

Let me assure you that, although I might come up with a right answer here and there, I could never be a Jeopardy! champion. My knowledge-base is much too limited. I am not well-enough read, have not studied a wide enough range of subjects, and cannot retain that much information in my brain. I guess I just have to accept the fact, I’ll never be a Jeopardy! champion. But, that’s ok with me. After all, there’s much more to life than knowing a lot of information.  

In the Bible, especially in the book of Proverbs, knowledge is most often paired with the word, “wisdom.” For example we read, “For the LORD gives wisdom;  from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.” (Proverbs 2:6 – NIV) And, “For wisdom will enter your heart,  and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul.” (Proverbs 2:10 – NIV) 

Not only that, but we read of the affect knowledge is meant to have on one’s life. Proverbs 15:2 says, “The tongue of the wise adorns knowledge, but the mouth of the fool gushes folly.” (NIV)  And, “All who are prudent act with knowledge, but fools expose their folly.” (Proverbs 13:6 – NIV) 

Most importantly we read, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.”  (Proverbs 9:10 – NIV) In other words, real knowledge—the kind that leads us into a life filled with wisdom—comes to us not first of all through books, classes, and all kinds of study. Rather, the most important kind of knowledge is gained as we live our lives in relationship with the God of heaven and earth, the God who knows all things.  He is the One of whom the Apostle Paul wrote, “Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out!” (Romans 11:33 – NIV) 

Whether or not any of us have enough knowledge to become a Jeopardy! champion, each of us ought to pursue the kind of knowledge that flows out of a relationship with our all-knowing God.  After all, that kind of knowledge is lot more than just information, but results in lives lived that bring blessing to those around us and joy to our own hearts.  

Have a great day! 

- Pastor Tim Harris