Examining Popular Quotes

Are They Really True?

I was at a conference where the speaker shared a couple of popular quotes we've all heard over the years. As I looked around, I noticed everyone nodding in agreement, which made me question: Are these quotes really true? The two quotes the speaker mentioned were "Knowledge is power" and "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger." Let's examine these.

Knowledge is Power

The first quote, "Knowledge is power," is something we all recognize. We know that to be in good shape, we need to eat right and exercise. There's the knowledge, but where's the power? Just because we know something doesn't mean there's power behind it. This quote should be revised to say, "Knowledge in action is power." Simply knowing isn't enough; we must put knowledge into action for it to be powerful.

Let's consider this from a biblical perspective. The Bible talks about faith, and in the book of James, it states, "Faith without works is dead." This aligns with my point: we should say, "Knowledge without works is dead." We must take that knowledge and put it into action.

What Doesn't Kill You Makes You Stronger

The second quote, "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger," is more complex. I have a personal example: my grandmother had a massive stroke that left her in a vegetative state for 11 years. She couldn't walk, talk, move, or communicate in any way. So, how did that make her stronger? It didn't. While I understand that struggling can make us stronger, not everything in life does.

The next time you hear any popular quote, question it. Ask yourself, is this really true?