When you know you are 100% completely right, how do you cope with - TopicsExpress

When you know you are 100% completely right, how do you cope with finding out you are 100% completely wrong? Acts 9:1Meanwhile Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples …, went to the high priest 2and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any who belonged to “the Way”… he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. 3[In route to] Damascus, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. 4…“Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” 5He asked, “Who are you, Lord?” The reply came, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. …” … 8 Saul got up from the ground, and though his eyes were open, he could see nothing; … 9 For three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank. With 20-20 hindsight, it is easy to demonize Saul. But I’ll assert he was not wrong from his perspective; it is just he didn’t have a full understanding of things to be right. Saul’s background & education were prestigious. (Brevity prohibits detailing his credentials, suffice to say they are impressive; even the high priest was supporting him.) POINT: From a knowledge-based perspective I will assert he was 100% correct to conclude he was doing God’s work by exterminating these Christians. So where’s the problem? Answer: He knew the technical concepts of God’s teachings without understanding the message of God. Gamaliel (a renown Rabi of the time) tried to warn Saul, but when people don’t listen to God’s message, the preverbal dope-smack-to-the-back-of-the-head seems to follow. Proving Saul was smarter than most people, it only took him 3 days of being bed ridden before he realized he needed to change his ways – AND CHANGE HE DID! Using his education, political savvy, and numerous other skills he became God’s primary vehicle for bring Christianity to the world. ALL OF US (if we are smart enough to admit it) have that Horatio moment (Hamlet [A1S5]) where someone tries to tell us there are more things in heaven and earth, than are dreamt of in our philosophy. BUT WHAT DO WE DO WITH THAT MOMENT? Do we defend an indefensible position, because that is all our current thinking can see? Or do we PAUSE, discern God’s wisdom, grow, and ACTIVELY embrace the Way? It only took Saul 3 days. How long does it take us? Just a thought. All insights welcome.