Knowledge is Power – Protect It

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“My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.” Hosea 4:6 (KJV)

Throughout history, leaders who sought to control, enslave, or oppress others often began by restricting access to education and knowledge. Why? Because knowledge awakens purpose, sparks critical thinking, and breaks chains, both physical and mental.

During slavery in America, it was illegal to teach enslaved African Americans to read or write, as plantation owners feared literacy would lead to rebellion and a demand for freedom. In Nazi Germany, books by Jewish and dissenting authors were burned to control thought and suppress dissent. Even today, attempts to

dilute or remove academic rigor, like the "Equity in Grading" proposal in San Francisco, which aimed to let students graduate with only 20% proficiency, raise red flags. While masked as compassion, such policies lower the bar for all and dangerously imply that at-risk students are incapable of excellence, which is both false and harmful.

God never designed us to be ignorant. In fact, Scripture commands us to seek wisdom and understanding:

“Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.  2 Timothy 2:15 (KJV)

“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit... will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.” John 14:26 (ESV)

In the Book of Daniel, we read about four Hebrew boys—Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah—who were taken captive to Babylon. Despite their foreign captivity, these boys excelled in wisdom, knowledge, and understanding, far surpassing the Babylonian youth:

“In every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king questioned them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in his whole kingdom.” Daniel 1:20 (NIV)

Their strength wasn’t just in worldly education, but in pairing it with spiritual discipline and faith. That’s the model we should strive for today: academic excellence anchored in Biblical truth.

The original Bloom’s Taxonomy, created in 1956, outlined a six-step process for intellectual growth:

1. Knowledge – Memorizing facts and information
   

2. Comprehension – Grasping meaning
   

3. Application – Using knowledge in real-life situations
   

4. Analysis – Examining relationships and patterns
   

5. Synthesis – Combining elements to form new ideas
   

6. Evaluation – Making judgments based on criteria
   

Sadly, many modern schools are abandoning this process, especially the foundational step: memory work. Once, students routinely memorized poems, Scripture, historical dates, and math formulas, building the mental muscle necessary for higher thinking. Removing this stage is like expecting a child to run before learning to crawl.

What is the answer to being “dumbed down”? Make sure we are continually learning something new. Learn God’s covenant promises to us and how to bring these into our daily lives. Become proficient in the areas we enjoy and practice excellences because this is God’s will for His children.

Declarations

• I declare that I am a seeker of truth, and I grow daily in knowledge and wisdom.
  

• I declare that my children and students are blessed with strong minds and the ability to learn and apply Godly wisdom.
  

• I declare that no system, government, or policy can stop the calling God has placed on the next generation.

 Prayer

Heavenly Father,
We thank You for the gift of knowledge. Let us never take it for granted or allow it to be stripped away from us or our children. Raise up educators, parents, and leaders who value truth, discipline, and learning. Give us discernment to reject policies that limit our potential. Like Daniel and his friends, help us to stand out in excellence by combining wisdom from Your Word with practical understanding. Protect the minds of our youth and ignite in them a hunger to learn and grow.

 In Jesus’ name, Amen.