Bono famously sang, “I still haven’t found what I’m looking for.” It’s a sentiment that can be problematic for Christians.
On the one hand, our spiritual quest is over. By believing in Christ we
have found what we were looking for, we have come home, we have discovered the Truth. But on the other hand, we are still pilgrims, still grappling with the sorrows and complexities of life, still struggling with sin, still pressing on to know Him better.
So have we found what we’re looking for? Well, yes and no.
Ancient man used to believe that the universe was much smaller than it is, and that the earth was its center. But as technology has increased, so has our perspective of the scope of the cosmos. As we have grown, so has our sense of the size of things. In C.S. Lewis’ Prince Caspian, when Lucy sees Aslan after a long departure, she asks “Aslan, have you gotten bigger?” To which Aslan replies, “Oh, no my child, you have. And the more you grow, the bigger I will seem.” Likewise, one sign that we are getting “bigger” is that things are also getting bigger — God, the world, the faith, no longer fit in the boxes we’d like to confine them to.
Maybe that’s why I’m coming to believe that “not knowing” is a wise thing. No, I don’t mean we should waffle on essentials, bail on absolutes, and ditch convictions about anything. I mean we should avoid posturing ourselves as know-it-alls.
This is one area I give postmodern Christians credit for — they embrace uncertainty, they question commonly held assumptions and structures, things are not as “knowable” — as definitive — as they are for the traditional evangelical. Of course, this absence of assurance can also be a problem. I mean, if nothing is true, then joining a UFO cult is as reasonable as becoming a Tibetan monk. Yes, we must embrace and offer absolutes. What we need to avoid, in my opinion, is the posture that says “I KNOW,” “I HAVE ARRIVED.”
Even as committed believers, we are still seekers, still pilgrims, still grappling with the immensity of Truth. Even though,
“I believe in the Kingdom Come,
When all the colors will bleed into one
Bleed into one
Well, yes I’m still running.”
Even though “I believe,” yet “I’m still running.” This humility, this unquenched passion, should characterize how we frame our spiritual sojourn.
The wisdom of this posture — the “not knowing” posture — is that we listen more, we appreciate a person’s faith journey without feeling compelled to correct or chastise them, and we are less anxious to set ourself up as The Bible Answer Man. After all, we are a fellow pilgrim. The irony is that the more willing we are to admit we don’t know, the more open people are to hear what we do know.
The older I get, the less wise I believe I am. It's like the gaps in my understanding are getting larger. And maybe that's the point — less me, more Him.
The more you see the less you know
The less you find out as you go
I knew much more then than I do now
– Bono, from City of Blinding Lights
Yep, another great lyric from Bono and the boys.
I see your point, but the Bible says we should "always be ready" to give an answer (I Peter 3:15). How can we do that if we act like we don't know? it sounds like a contradiction.
That's a good question, Jeremy. The entire vs. reads:
"But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect" (I Pet. 3:15 NIV).
I'd suggest that this verse supports my position. There's a difference between "always being ready to give an answer" and "always giving your answer." It's one thing to have a rational, persuasive reason for why you believe; it's another to have to share that all the time. Furthermore, notice when we are to give our answer:
"…be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have"
We are to be ready to respond when asked. This doesn't mean we shouldn't share until asked, but that we should live the type of life that provokes query. Instead of blurting out what I believe, I should live in such a way that people's interest is piqued.
Finally, we are to give our answers "with gentleness and respect." In other words, our attitude is essential. Rather than coming off as know-it-alls, we should be humble and respectful of others sojourns. Feeling like we always have THE ANSWER tends to make us slightly arrogant.