承認無知的力量
By Jim Mathis
我參加過一個商業研討會，那裡的講師建議參加者絕對不要說「不知道」這三個字，她認為用「嗯，這是一個很好的問題。」或「讓我來替您找答案吧！」是更好的回答。乍聽之下好像很合理，但其實這是否定了「我們並非全知全能」的事實。
在那之後，我開始注意到自己說了幾次「不知道」這三個字。有一天早上，在我工作的稅務事務所，櫃台問我為什麼她的電腦顯示十點半，但是實際上是九點半，當時我回答：「我不知道。」如果我是電腦工程師，我大概就會回答：「嗯，這是一個很好的問題，讓我來替您找答案吧！雖然這看起來是個小問題，但也許背後有甚麼更大的問題。」但是，因為我不是電腦專家，所以「不知道」應該是最好的回答吧！我有一個朋友，他就因為常常被不必要回答的問題所吸引，導致無法專心。
承認自己並非全知全能是一種智慧。雖然我們需要不斷地學習，在生活的不同領域裡不斷地成長。但是，以為每件事都有答案或者我們有能力能回答每一個問題則是一種無知。
當我小學五年級的時候，有時候老師會問我們一些需要思考的問題，例如：我們為什麼在這裡？一個同學就回答說：「我們可以去百科全書裡找答案。」我想那個同學大概認為全世界的知識都在那二十冊的百科全書裡，對小學生來說，大概是如此。(現在我們不需要百科全書，只需要上網GOOGLE就好了。)
隨著年紀增長，學習和經驗讓我識多見廣，我也願意把自己所知道的傳承給願意聽的人。但是，我並非全知全能，當我不知道某些事情時，我還是會說：「我不知道。」如果我剛好知道有誰是這方面的專家，我也會告訴別人，讓他們去請教專家。
我們與神的關係中，承認自己並非全知全能是好的。在工作上，我們可能會遇到無法解決的困難，我們會禱告，思想神會如何解決；或者，我們遇到突如其來的財務問題，我們會禱告並思考神會如何解決？我們有許多「不知道」，但神知道。
聖經對某些事情寫得很清楚，但是關於神的話卻不容易明白。這就是為什麼保羅．布蘭(Paul Brand) 和楊腓力(Philip Yancey)在他們所寫的書《祂的形象》中說：「耶穌成為可見的、有限的人來表現看不見、無限的神。我們無法明白所有關於神的事情，如果我們能夠明白，祂也不是神了。」
在舊約聖經中，庇哩亞這地方的人賢於帖撒羅尼迦的人，甘心領受這道，天天考查聖經，要曉得這道是與不是。(使徒行傳17:11)。保羅在其他經文也提到，這道理就是歷世歷代所隱藏的奧祕；但如今向他的聖徒顯明了(歌羅西書1:26)。我們應該盡可能地認識神，並且和祂保持親密的關係。
但是，我們必須知道神是永恆的，是超過所有人類能夠想像的。這就是為什麼希伯來書11:1形容信心是所望之事的實底，是未見之事的確據。把自己的生命和工作交託給神、相信祂，就是願意承認自己只是有限的人類。
吉姆．馬提斯在堪薩斯州陸路公園市經營一家照相館。他的專長是商業和影劇界人像。最近他開了一所攝影學校。他曾是一家咖啡店的經理，也曾是CBMC在堪薩斯州堪薩斯市和密蘇里州堪薩斯市的執行主任。
省思與問題討論
當別人問你一個你不知道的問題時，你有甚麼感覺？通常你都如何回應？ 你覺得用「嗯，這是一個很好的問題。」或「讓我來替您找答案吧！」來代替「我不知道」是更好的回答嗎？你曾經這樣做過嗎？結果是如何？ 想一想「信心」，以及我們和神的關係，你覺得大方地承認關於神做事的方式，我們並非全知全能是一件簡單的事情嗎？ 當你在和其他的基督徒討論時，遇到不知道答案的問題，你是不是就回答：「我不知道」或者你用其他方式回答？
備註：如果你手上有聖經，希望知道更多關於這個主題的經文，請參考：約伯記40篇1節；詩篇40篇5節、92篇5節；145篇3節；箴言25章2節；以賽亞書40篇28節；55章8-9節；羅馬書11章33-34節
THE POWER OF ADMITTING, “I DON”T KNOW”
By Jim Mathis
I was at a business seminar where the instructor advised attendees to never say, "I don't know.” She said a better response is, "That is a good question," or "Let me find out for you." That sounds reasonable until we realize it denies the obvious – that we really don't know everything, and sometimes it is not possible to find suitable answers to all our questions.
Since then I have noticed how many times I say, "I don't know." One morning at the tax office where I was working, the receptionist asked me why her computer said 10:30 when it was actually 9:30. I said, "I don't know." If I had been the IT person, I probably would have told her it was a good question and I would try to find the answer, especially since it might be indicating an even bigger problem. But not being a computer expert, a simple “I don't know” seemed my best response. I once had a friend who cautioned about chasing "rabbit trails," getting sidetracked by questions we did not need to answer.
Willingness to admit we don't know everything might be an indicator of wisdom. We should have a desire to learn continually; that is how we grow in every area of our lives. However, assuming every problem has an easy answer, or we should somehow know the answer to every question, is naïve.
When I was in the fifth grade, sometimes the teacher would ask the class a philosophical question, such as, "Why are we here?" I remember one of my classmates responding, "We can look it up in the encyclopedia." I suppose the student had heard all the world's knowledge was contained in those 20 volumes, and for us, it certainly looked like it. (These days we don”t need encyclopedias. We can just “Google” the answer.)
Today, I know a lot of things. Time, study and experience have taught me much. I am willing to pass along anything I know to anyone willing to listen, but since I don't know everything, I am quick to admit, "I don't know." If nothing else, we can always suggest where or who someone might go to for the answer.
Sometimes admitting to ourselves, “I don”t know,” is a good thing in our relationship with God. We encounter a major obstacle at work, we pray about it, and then wonder how He can resolve it: “I don”t know.” Unexpected financial issues arise and we pray about that. How can God fix this? “I don”t know,” we say. And yet, He does.
The Bible is very clear on many matters, but there are things about God – and what He says in the Scriptures – that are not as easy to understand. This is why Dr. Paul Brand and Philip Yancey wrote in their book, In His Image, “Jesus Christ became the visible, finite expression of the invisible, infinite, inexpressible God.” We cannot understand everything about God. If we could, He wouldn”t be God.
We can be like the leaders of the Old Testament city of Berea, who “received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what (the apostle) Paul said was true“ (Acts 17:11). Because as Paul wrote elsewhere, “the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the Lord's people”(Colossians 1:26). Our desire should be to know God as intimately as possible.
However, we must also acknowledge God”s eternal truths are beyond full human understanding. This is why Hebrews 11:1 describes faith as “the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Trusting in God, in the workplace and our private lives, sometimes involves being willing to admit, “I don”t know.”
Jim Mathis is the owner of a photography studio in Overland Park, Kansas, specializing in executive, commercial and theatrical portraits, and operates a school of photography. He formerly was a coffee shop manager and executive director of CBMC in Kansas City, Kansas and Kansas City, Missouri.
Reflection/Discussion Questions
How do you feel when someone asks you a question and you have to acknowledge you do not know the answer? What is your typical response? What is your reaction to the suggestion that instead of saying, “I don”t know,” replying, “That is a good question” or, “I will try to find out for you”? Have you done that? If so, what has been the result? Considering the area of faith, and our relationship with God, how comfortable are you with admitting that in understanding His ways, often we must admit, “I don”t know”? Have you ever had a discussion with another follower of Christ, or someone who is seeking to know God, who asked a tough question? Did you simply say you did not know the answer, or did you respond in a different way?
NOTE: If you have a Bible and would like to read more about this subject, consider the following passages: Job 40:1; Psalm 40:5, 92:5, 145:3; Proverbs 25:2; Isaiah 40:28, 55:8-9; Romans 11:33-34
