Stupid Smart

Admitting our ignorance so we can be truly wise

01/03/2018

John 1:29-34 John the Baptist saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. He is the one of whom I said, 'A man is coming after me who ranks ahead of me because he existed before me.' I did not know him, but the reason why I came baptizing with water was that he might be made known to Israel." John testified further, saying, "I saw the Spirit come down like a dove from the sky and remain upon him. I did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, 'On whomever you see the Spirit come down and remain, he is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.' Now I have seen and testified that he is the Son of God."

            Boys and girls, I am convinced that one of the smartest things you can ever say is, “I don’t know.” That may sound like an oxymoron – a contradiction in terms, like saying, “That guy is stupid smart!” – but think about it. The person who thinks he or she knows everything is not open to learning more (he knows it all); whereas, the person who thinks he or she knows nothing is ready to learn everything.

           Two of the smartest people who ever lived were ready to say, “I do not know,” namely, Socrates and Albert Einstein. And, by the way, they were both “stupid smart.” Socrates never really wrote anything himself but is rather the main character in Plato’s famous dialogues, and in that sense, he is like Jesus who never wrote anything but was the main character in the four gospels. Socrates would engage people in conversation, and these people thought they were really wise. But through asking questions, Socrates would help them realize they didn’t know very much. After one such conversation, Socrates concludes: “I seem, then, in just this little thing to be wiser than this man at any rate, that what I do not know I do not think I know either” (Plato, Apologia, 21d).  In other words, Socrates was willing to admit, “I do not know.”

            The same with Albert Einstein, the brilliant 20th century physicist, who developed the general and special theories of relativity. In 1931 the Nazis waged a campaign against all Jewish scientists in Germany, and wrote a book targeting Einstein (who you know was Jewish) called, 100 Authors Against Einstein. What was Einstein’s response? He simply said, “Why one hundred? If I were wrong, one would have been enough” (quoted in Stephen Hawking, The Universe in a Nutshell, 26) Remember that reply if someone writes a book like that against you. That was also a very humble reply because he was ready to admit he was wrong, if someone could give the reasons why, even if one person could show him his error. He was ready to concede, “I do not know,” and, by the way, that’s why he came close to discovering the “theory of everything,” which scientists called the “TOE” – the theory of everything.

             In the gospel today, St. John the Baptist also humbly confesses his ignorance, that he didn’t know something, or rather someone. John beholds Jesus and exclaims: “Behold the Lamb of God.” But then he surprisingly adds, “I did not know him, but the reason why I came baptizing with water was that he might be made known to Israel.” That’s quite a self-indictment, isn’t it? Why? Well, because John’s whole life was like a huge arrow pointing to Jesus, and at the very culmination of his life, he almost misses the mark, saying, “I did not know him.” This wasn’t some kind of false humility, but true questioning and doubting, but also a moment of genuine faith and belief in Jesus. In other words, not only does admitting your ignorance make your wiser (like Socrates and Einstein), but ignorance can also help you grow in faith, and become a true believer. That’s how you become really stupid smart.

              As you begin this new semester, don’t be afraid to admit, “I don’t know.” Ask questions in class. Don’t be worried about raising your hand. Find your voice and hear what you sound like. Each of you has a great voice given to you by God, and this world needs to hear it (just don’t use your voice to talk during Mass!).

            One Trinity student sent me a long list of questions recently about religion. She was finding her voice, and she was willing to admit she did not know. But I believe that’s exactly how she was becoming wiser and more faith-filled. See if you know the answers to these questions: “Were there really only 3 kings?” “Does God have a last name?” “If God knows what we want, why doesn’t he give it to us right away?”  “If he sees too much suffering, why doesn’t he take us now?” “How did God make the angels?” “What does God want from us?” “How did Satan become so evil?” “How would life be if death had never existed?” “Why does God not reveal himself?” And that was just half of her questions! I felt like one of the people Socrates has a conversation with, whom he peppers with questions, and by the end of it they feel like saying, “All I know is that I don’t know!!!” But right there, in that humble, holy moment of ignorance lies hidden also the beginning not only of wisdom but also of faith.  Those questions show me that that young Trinity student was becoming very wise and faith-filled.

              One of the smartest things you can ever say in life is “I do not know.” Why? Well, because in that moment you are ready to learn everything, you’re becoming stupid smart.

Praised be Jesus Christ!