Navigating Imperfection and Arrogance
“When pride comes, then comes shame, but with humility comes wisdom.” -Proverbs 11:2
Research in cognitive psychology highlights how overconfidence can impair decision-making and learning. Humility, conversely, fosters open-mindedness and a willingness to adapt. Socrates famously said, “I know that I know nothing.” Imagine standing before a vast library, its shelves lined with books containing the sum of human knowledge. Yet, you possess only a single candle to illuminate your path. This is the essence of imperfection. Its true recognition is our understanding limitations in the finite nature of our existence and perceptions.
Imperfection guarantees ignorance. It’s not just about what we know but also what we don’t know, the shadows cast by the flickering flame of our human reason, however strong it might be. Every answer we seek will reveal new questions, creating an endless dance pre-existing us between certainty and uncertainty.
Consider the scientist meticulously studying the piece of the cosmos he is devoted to. Each discovery in that area of study, no matter how groundbreaking, uncovers more mysteries in it, and yet typically reveals little about things outside his devotion. The vastness of the universe humbles the most brilliant most, reminding all of their place in the grand scheme, one way or another. Now, picture that same person standing before the library, clutching a torch that casts a blinding light. The light brighter than a candle now causes the holder to see less in the deeper shadows. This torch represents arrogance and overconfidence that blinds us to our limitations. Arrogance guarantees denied ignorance; it’s the delusion that we see clearly when, in reality, our vision is obscured.
Arrogant scientism, with its claims of absolute truth, often falls into this trap. It denies the humility required to acknowledge the vast expanse of what we do not know. This arrogance is predictable, a natural outgrowth of our own imperfect and tangled reasonings, webs of logic cast in the material and realistic trappings that can easily ensnare us. Arrogance masquerades as strength but ultimately weakens us. It closes off avenues for growth, stifling the curiosity that drives discovery. Humility, on the other hand, opens doors to deeper understanding. It allows us to admit our ignorance, seek guidance, and grow in wisdom. Let us acknowledge our limitations and embrace honest humility, as much as we would cradle the source of wisdom.
In the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector (Luke 18:9-14). The Pharisee, proud of his righteousness, stands tall and boasts of his deeds. The tax collector, humble and contrite, acknowledges his sinfulness. It’s the latter who finds favour with God, how is this? Strings of discord make any and all envious of harmony. All wrong chords (answers) point to the right chords (answers) in the very vibration of their incorrectness. Errors are not to be embraced in themselves but we must recognise that revisiting the misstep in repentance brings us closer to the truth of what keeps us in a sin, just as well as in error with the wrong idea. The tax collector was willing to admit where he was lacking, where the Pharisee was caught up on his accomplishments.
We are our own Lieutenant Columbo here, lining up puzzle pieces in wrongful death. Each false lead eliminates possibilities, narrowing down the options until solutions which are more correct emerge. Similar to the one in sin repentance, the paths through imperfect knowledge guide us toward understanding. For instance, one might explore a theory’s weaknesses in order to seek more valuable avenues of research. The scientific method is a process of trial and error, hypothesis and refutation similar in this way to error and correction. Every failed experiment brings us closer to the truth but only through this process of admission and repentance, in Christ. We must analyse our errors and mistakes, at least, otherwise nothing is learned from them.
Through Christ, then, imperfection serves as a compass pointing toward legitimate progress beyond what we ourselves could possibly reason. It reminds us of our limitations and our potential for growth. The shadows of our imperfections point us to the only actual perfection. So why make your perfection anything less than actual perfection? This is an attainable ideal we can set our clocks to in which we set bias toward life, guide actions in spirit, and inform greater correctness in our beliefs. Pursuit of humility and understanding transcends cultural and personal differences but also encompasses them, offering a universal path to wisdom despite and yet because of any differences. Imperfection guarantees ignorance. Arrogance denies it. Humility acknowledges all limitations and all ramifications, thus allowing for genuine growth. Such is a process which can only make us wiser and more compassionate, which is to say a better fit for the plans of God.