Trust more than Knowledge
My dad was standing in the deep end of the pool
holding out his hands inviting me to jump.
I loved playing in the shallow end.
But my father wanted me to jump into the deep end. I knew viscerally deep water was
dangerous. I also knew my father took
care of me. Now, however, I had to hold
these two facts in competition, to either jump or not.
People think knowledge is the most important
thing in life, but wisdom is actually about relationships, about imperfect
knowledge. It is about trust, faith,
belief. I knew deep water was dangerous,
but the relationship with my dad, after some reluctance, said it was okay to
jump. I did not know it would turn out
okay, but I decided to trust the relationship.
Today’s gospel says God so loved the world he
gave his son, that all who believe in him will not perish. Many have misread
this text. They think it means that if
we believe some fact about Jesus we get a reward. The text does not mean that. It says believe in HIM, not in some FACT
about him. It is about relationship, not
fact. Everlasting life is not a reward
to those who believe the right things are true.
Everlasting life is a gift received when entering a trusting relationship
with the mystery lying behind life, and all that is, whom Jesus calls Father.
To believe in Jesus is to trust him. He gives us counsel, we try it out. He sets an example, we imiatate it. He tells us the strength we need will be
provided, we launch out courageously.
As we trust our frienship more, he gives us life more abundantly.
Moses and early church theologians tell us God
is beyond our knowledge: God is
mystery. If we desire to explore
the mysterious leadings and longings of our hearts, we must leave the safety of
the shallow end, of knowledge alone. We
can embrace Jesus and the gift of life, trusting in hope that our hearts’
longings will be satisfied. We jump in
the deep end believing that loving arms will catch us, and show us wonders
heretofore unimagined. ~Father John
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