"Need to Know"

“Need to Know”

In my work at the hospital I have access to patients’ records by using my personal password (which I’m required to change quarterly for security purposes). But the Health Insurance  Portability and Accountability Act (better known as HIPAA) guidelines state that I can view information only if I need to do so to perform my assigned duties. If I misuse this privilege I’m subject to consequences up to and including termination. So I’m constantly asking, “Do I need to know this?” If the answer is no I don’t look; if I’m not sure I consult with our Department Director.

My dentist and I were discussing HIPAA after a recent appointment and he told me of an incident in which a celebrity had died and the body brought to a hospital for an autopsy, A few days later the CEO called about a dozen physicians and some forty staff members to a meeting and fired them all on the spot! The reason? They had gone into the deceased’s chart when they weren’t involved in the case. This should make anyone think twice before allowing curiosity (or nosiness) to dictate one’s actions.

There are times God functions on a “need to know” basis. Even though “His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness’” (2 Peter 1:3) we sometimes want to know more than He’s chosen to reveal to us. In his discussion with Job Zophar asks, “Can you fathom the mysteries of God? Can you probe the limits of the Almighty?” (Job 11:7). Obviously not. But we’re still prone to want to know what we don’t need to. For example, some try to predict the time of Christ’s return even though He said, “No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.” (Matthew 24:36, emphasis added). If Jesus in His humanity didn’t know this how can any of us presume to know it? Or when John heard thunderous angelic voices and started to write he was told, “Keep secret what (was) said. Do not write it down.” (Revelation 10:4, NLT), Any speculation surrounding these words is pointless—if God wanted us to know them He’d have told us.

We must acknowledge that “There are secret things that belong to the Lord our God….” (Deuteronomy 29:29, NLT) which we don’t need to know. How much better to follow God’s counsel given to Joshua, “Study this Book of the Law continually. Meditate on it day and night so you may be sure to obey all that is written in it (i.e. what we need to know), Only then will you succeed.” (Joshua 1:8. NLT). All I can say is Amen!

Grace and Blessings!

Jim McMillan