When I first joined the Army, I was, without a doubt, the dumbest guy in the unit when it came to the Army. I had spent some time in the Air Force, but this was a totally different animal. I was the butt of many jokes. I asked a lot of questions that elicited laughter from everybody in the room. Once, a bunch of guys had me going all over the post looking for lights to attach to my parachute. Such lights do not exist.
But after I had been in a while, you couldn’t pull any wool over my eyes when it came to the Army. I knew the ropes and could smell a joke a mile away. I became one of the guys who would tell new soldiers when the other guys were pulling their legs. I was a wise and seasoned member of the unit.
How I got that way is no secret. It took experience and instruction. Each time I asked a dumb question, I learned something. My inexperience was a constant source of amusement, but with time comes experience. Eventually, nobody would tell me to go find some lights to put on a parachute.
This is true of any endeavor. When we’re the new guy, or we haven’t had much teaching, we often find ourselves around people who know things we don’t. We realize that if we ask a question, we might be the only person in the room who doesn’t know the answer. We are hesitant to ask because we don’t want people to see the level of our ignorance. They might even laugh, and nobody wants to be the butt of a joke. We might think we will never become proficient in the knowledge everybody else has.
This can happen with Grace Theology. When someone is new to it, they have a ton of questions. If the new guy attends a conference where the attendees have known each other for years, it seems like they’re familiar with all the issues, while he doesn’t have a clue. That can be intimidating.
We’ve seen this occur. I’ve been to conferences where someone will ask, “What is Calvinism?” or, “What do you mean by rewards?” Old timers will probably think, Man, this is a new guy!
Maybe you’re one of the new guys. I can tell you that Grace folks will be nicer than my Army buddies. They won’t tell you that Calvinism is a type of pasta that can only be found at Whole Foods, and that it is excellent for helping you sleep. They won’t tell you to go to the store and look for it, and if you can’t find it, ask the manager.
Do what I did in the Army. Jump right in. Ask your questions. Make your mistakes. Before long, you will be a seasoned, experienced Free Gracer who will be able to help others who come along.
That is what the Book of Proverbs is about. Solomon tells his son to gain wisdom by putting what he learns into practice. Gaining wisdom takes time and experience. Paul tells Timothy to help other men follow the same pattern that Paul used in teaching him (2 Tim 2:2). Titus is similarly told to help young men. Older women can do the same for younger women (Titus 2:4-6).
The Army has a poster that says, “Uncle Sam wants you!” Our churches need men and women who are old, seasoned Free Grace believers. The Lord wants you. It’s worth the effort.
