I think that people, who may not have regard for the Bible as scripture or believe in divine direction, may often practice the principle of Proverbs 3:5 without knowing that they are obeying the scripture, "Lean not on thine own understanding."
Every intelligent person I know bows in the presence of the unknowns of the universe. There is a common sense of awe at the wonder of the cosmos and the paradoxical nature of truth.
We tune our harps to what we know and set our compasses by given understanding of the polar realities and magnetic forces that govern us. We do that daily, but we also throw up our hands and surrender to the persistent gnawing of undiscovered forces and undefined principles of physics, mathematics, and even more mundane concepts that we know to be true without knowing why.
We comply and we continue to seek those universal theories of everything.
I know of no single thinking person inside or outside of the realm of faith who leans entirely on his or her own understanding … except in areas where pride overcomes good sense.
We all take direction, follow laws we do not see the sense of, and follow orders we have not devised or whose meaning we have not discerned.
We do so because we often know that our lives are bettered in the process and we appreciate the finite nature of our own understanding. That is why we have experts who spend their whole lives studying minutia and sharing tidbits of their discoveries with the rest of us who are either generalists or specialists in other fields of intellectual or practical pursuit.
And every expert will inform us that there is more yet to discover than has been, as yet, grasped.
Somehow, in the sciences, this is seen as a great adventure.
It is, likewise, in the pursuit of spiritual discovery and the great adventure of knowing God.
We know enough to trust and so, the first part of the verse says, "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart."
That is a bigger leap of faith for many folks than the first affirmation. We are all on different paths and places along our journeys. This is something we must accept in each other. However, in my life, verse 6 has shown itself true, over and over again:
"In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths."
So, once I do know something, and know it with humble tentativeness, I go with what I know and wonder at the unknowns, trusting God, leaning not on my limited understanding, but acknowledging His leadership, caring guidance, and benevolent faithfulness to direct my paths.
That is what is working for me.
THE LIMITS OF MY UNDERSTANDING
To continue this theme, I have given some thought to general areas where my understanding is limited. Here are some random specifics.
- I don't understand the how bumblebees can fly. Perhaps someone has explained it to me at some time, but I have forgotten.
- I don't understand string theory – and I don't think anyone really does. I have some hints, but nothing to lean on.
- I don't understand why traffic on the freeway can come to a near standstill while gawkers slow down to observe an accident across the median strip – but I should since I am sure I must have been lured into that web at least once.
- I don't understand the transforming and transcending power of love, but I gladly participate.
That was random and incomplete. There are three areas where my understanding is also incomplete and here they are.
I do not always understand the big picture of everything. I do not always understand the basic principles of existence. I do not always understand the best sequence of events.
I. THE BIG PICTURE OF EVERYTHING. I don't see it fully. I believe it exists and that it must exist, but I am inside of it and can not view it from the outside. I think there are two visions that I lack and long for:
- The big picture embraces a bigger future than I can actualize. We are going somewhere. I accept that as a statement of faith, but it is also a sense we have about the universe. There is a path on which I believe I am being directed along with all of creation. I am not certain of all that destination entails and I cannot orchestrate it. So, I trust.
- The big picture embraces a bigger family than I can visualize. Somehow, all of humanity is woven into the tapestry of this purpose. I don't know how everything and everyone fits, but I believe it does.
II. THE BASIC PRINCIPLES OF EXISTENCE. I understand some of the principles. I am guided by the wisdom of the ages as it has accumulated and by the scriptures which have never failed me, but I know in part. I can see some enduring truths being played out in human experience and scientific inquiry, but I know there is more to be discovered and uncovered.
- Basic principles govern the unseen realities of our circumstances. The principles are in place. Some we know. Some we don't, but circumstances are not chance; they are logical inasmuch as we can perceive the logic. Logic is built upon logos – Word. In the beginning was the Logos. If we could truly perceive the Logos behind the principles, we might be able to predict circumstances. I cannot.
- Basic principles govern the unanticipated results of our choices. Nothing happens by chance. Choices activate principles, known and unknown. We know enough to apply to get by and by learning more, we strive to thrive. But we do not know all and some of our choices will have unintended consequences. Sometimes, as children, we were told by people older and wiser to do or not to do some behavior. We did not and could not understand the ramifications of our obedience or disobedience. We have to trust with our hearts and acknowledge in our ways the wisdom of the wiser. If I had only leaned on my own understanding in these matters, I would have been dead years ago.
III. THE BEST SEQUENCE OF EVENTS. Things happen in order. Chaos and order are intertwined. People of faith believe that chaos is enveloped by order outside of itself. In our sphere of existence, most things have to happen in sequence. I don't always understand that sequence and cannot lean on my own understanding of it.
- Sequence often defines objectives. One of the great habits of highly effective people as taught by Steven Covey is to begin with the end in mind. We can often glimpse where something might be going by the sequence of events and behaviors we observe. And yet … we might miss a detail or two and that is the essence of comedy.
- Sequence often determines outcomes. Without the proper sequencing, objectives may be lost and outcomes altered. This is obvious in matters within the purview of our own influence and control, but is unseen in the larger spectrum where multiplied details are unmanageable. There will always be factors beyond our ability to comprehend or quantify. They are part of the sequence of cosmic progression and people of faith affirm that they are guided by an Unseen Hand and related to an ultimate purpose.
That is why, when push comes to shove, while I value and pursue a deeper understanding of whatever I can understand, I do not ultimately lean on my own understanding and choose to:
Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. – Proverbs 3:5-6
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