The Power of Humility in Christianity: Embracing “I Don’t Know”
1 Corinthians 1:10 (CSB)
Now I urge you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree in what you say, that there be no divisions among you, and that you be united with the same understanding and the same conviction.
I’ve been thinking about my sermon this week, and it’s led me to conclude that one of the most powerful statements I can say as a Christian is, “I don’t know.” Not saying that I know anything (insert Hogan’s Hero pun). Instead, having the humility to face how little I know and my dependence on God to lead me.
As people, we are very fond of speaking about our convictions and the things that we believe. No matter whom you talk to, everyone has an opinion on something. However, it is rare to find someone who blatantly says, “I don’t know,” when they don’t know enough to judge something. After all, who likes looking ignorant?
However, as Christians, we should take a moment to think about the power of I don’t know, or at least the honesty to say, at some point, I didn’t know. There is humility in realizing that in the many millennia preceding Christ, while we had scripture, Moses hung out with God, prophets spoke for God, and we still didn’t know God. Only Jesus could say, “If you know me, you will also know my Father. From now on you do know him and have seen him” in John 14:7. Paul goes on to say in Romans 10:14, “How, then, can they call on him they have not believed in? And how can they believe without hearing about him? And how can they hear without a preacher?” Let alone 2 Timothy 3:16, “All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness,” All of these verses remind us of one thing, our need to say, I don’t, or I didn’t know.
We are not born with an intimate knowledge of God; only Jesus (Immanuel) brings us that. We don’t know the first thing about the Gospel that saves our souls without the Holy Spirit leading someone to share the Gospel with us. We don’t have a single claim to authority on scripture without the Spirit inspiring men to write it. We wouldn’t even have the ability to think about the universe around us without, In the beginning, God created, and a God-given mind to study the created world.
There may be wisdom in abandoning the cart of conviction before the horse of understanding. Maybe we all need to say; I don’t know and come together with God, our creator, who knows everything, to learn from Him. To let him inform our minds and thoughts. To let him conform our convictions. As his people, his church, come together in our mutual IDK and learn together in Jesus about the life he calls us to live.