I DON'T HAVE ALL THE ANSWERS

I'm not real certain I even have all the right questions.  This is another tough statement for some people to make.  However, one who can learn to say "I Was Wrong" can learn to say this without much difficulty.  The former admits error, the latter only admits ignorance.  If a person will not admit that he is wrong, he is in effect saying that he is always right, hence that he has all the answers.  Perhaps one of the reasons this is so hard to say is that followers tend to expect their leaders to be experts.  Ignorance or even uncertainty are seen as signs of weakness.  We want strong leaders, not weak ones.  Imagine if you will the two following scenarios:

First a candidate is running for national office.  I will call him Mr. Smith.  "Mr. Smith," asks an interviewer "what do think is the solution to the problems in the Middle East?" "I don't know" responds Mr. Smith.  "Well, what should be done about medicare and Social Security?" he asks.  "I don't know that either." mr. Smith replies.  "Well" the interviewer says rather crudely "what should be done about the budget deficit?"  Mr. Smith replies "I'm not real sure about that either."  "Boy" the interviewer throws his hands up in the air, "you are pretty ignorant about these matters aren't you?"  "Yes" Mr. Smith says, "that is one thing I am certain about."  I think we can rest assured Mr. Smith isn't going to Washington.  If he had given a bunch of quick one-liners that were good soundbites maybe the voters would think he was decisive and might vote for him.  If he had given a real complicated answer to each question the voters might think of him as very intelligent and vote for him.  But an admission of ignorance or uncertainty will likely not net him many votes come election day.

Second, a church is interviewing a potential pastor.  I will call him Mr. Johnson.  "Reverend Johnson, what do you think of women serving as ministers?" asks one man.  "I really am not sure of that." he responds.  "Well, do you think that the gift of tongues is still in effect today?" asks another.  "That's hard to say, because that is a complicated issue." he replies.  "Well, what about the end times, what is your view?"  asks one other member of the church.  "I haven't reached a definite conclusion on that either."  he replies.  Rev. Johnson will probably not have his name on the church sign any time soon. 

I think we would all do well to desire leaders who know their own limitations.  Ones who know that they don't have an answer for every problem and that sometimes they don't even really know the exact nature of the problem. 

We would also all do well to remember that we don't have all the answers and that there is only one who does.  We need to forget our pride and place our faith in the one who does have the answers rather than in ourselves or anyone else.