On Certainty, Surety and the Turnaround
My Mom used to say, “I may not be right, but I am always certain.” I can see her waving her pointer finger and smiling wide as she said the words. In my mind it is something she said often but that may be, perhaps, a trick of time and grief and space. It’s possible I heard these words only once or twice, maybe even overheard them, and they have simply been rattling around my brain for the last fourteen years in their own echo chamber. Either way, it is one of the signature phrases of my Mom’s that I have quoted many times.
In my younger years I had great pride in my certainty, in my ability to deliver a statement as fact. And those words of my Mom just bolstered that certainty. Yet as I have matured (thank goodness!) I am more and more aware of how very little I am certain of. In its place I have become far more cautious with those who are just so sure.
Somehow this admittance can be seen as a weakened faith. I wonder when this shift happened? When did we decide that total sureness was a requisite of robust faith?
The glorification of surety is such an odd attribute of much of Christianity. How can we be a people so secure in our getting it right when the very nature of coming to Christ is one of acknowledging we’ve gotten it wrong?
If we expect a turning, a change of position to be part of the Christian story why then do we assume a need for surety within ourselves. Why do we (I) take pride in any position and dig our heels in so readily?
I wonder if walking with Jesus is more about welcoming turnarounds for the entirety of our walk with Him, not just those first few steps.
I love the account of Simon of Cyrene during Jesus’ walk to the cross. His is, among many things, a story of the generational impact in being willing to be turned around. Simon experienced both a literal and figurative 180 as he picked up the 70 lb. crossbeam that Jesus could not longer bear. Thanks to this particular turnaround we have the first hand account of the words uttered by Jesus as Simon walked beside him on the way to Golgotha. We have his sons as leaders of the Church at the time of the gospel writings. We have a church plant that sent the Apostle Paul out on mission. All because of a willingness by Simon to be turned around.
None of this is to diminish the certainty I have in Jesus. Of him, I am most certain. Yet, all the rest…well I think it is fair to say any one of us, any one church, any one denomination, any one group…can not in good faith be sure we are getting it all right.
I wonder what would happen if we welcomed the turnabout in our own lives and the lives of those around us. How might churches be different if we truly expected people to show up when they are still unsure, or even perpetually uncertain.
I think that quote of my Mom’s is a good place to start. While my younger self misplaced pride in the certainty, it is those first words that hold all the power.
I MAY NOT BE RIGHT. Somehow I missed those words. It is a beautiful way to lead. Humble, kind, honest. I may not be right. What if we started there?
It is that kind of humility that can open conversations and create a sense of welcome. It is that kind of willingness to be turned around again and again that helps us stay facing Jesus as we walk the whole way with Him.
You can read my latest book Life Surrendered: Finding Freedom at the Cross Available wherever books are sold: Amazon | Leafwood