Non-Technical Assurance

Reading the newspaper, I often find topics addressed by experts ... usually at the end of articles. I read a couple eye witness statements about, say, childhood obeisity or automobile emissions or investing, then some history is provided, and for closure the experts come in and wrap things up. They are the experts, they give us something conclusive to take away.

At least that's how it's supposed to be.

I bet Jesus' disciples were experts in their respective fields as well. James and John seemed to spend a lot of time fishing. When a great storm came along and shook the boat, the disciples feared for their lives. I find it hard to believe their fear came from a lack of technical experience.

The disciples wake up Jesus, who is sleeping. He rebukes the waves and asks the disiples why their faith is so weak. The disciples ask each other, 'Who is this that even the wind and waves obey him?" If the disciples were journalists before they met Jesus, perhaps they would have asked, "What sort of field is this guy an expert in?"

Meteorilogical science?

When we give technical opinions we often leave a lot of stuff beneath the surface unsaid. "Sure, reboot the system and reinstall the software (but who knows what's really going on?)". But Jesus was a master of expressing the very things hiding beneath the surface ... beneath the wordly distinctions and technical posturing.