No Proof is Possible

Stuart Chase, an American economist of the last century, once wrote, "For those who believe, no proof is necessary. For those who don't believe, no proof is possible" (For those of you who maintain that nothing of value can be learned from television, I first heard this quote on the series, "Criminal Minds"...and, yes, I could have also learned it from reading).

Two things pounce upon me from this insightful quote. First, the foundational principle is "belief"...or we might say, "faith." What we believe to be true is based on something that happened a couple of millennium ago passed down to us through the lives of the faithful and an ancient book which cannot be supported by original documents. Truly this is "being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." Heb 11:1 NIV

Though it would really be convenient for us in "The Way" to be able to point at something and say, "See, this proves we are right!" those kind of proofs just don't exist. And even if "proof" does exist for us internally, through personal experiences or the experiences of others of whom we have heard, that doesn't mean they are convincing for those skeptical of our faith.

That segues us to "pounce" two. The burden of proof does not lie with us. Though we must witness to the Truth (Acts 1:8) which we have experienced, the responsibility for proof of truth lies with someone else. Only God can undo unbelief and reframe it as belief. He IS truth. God must interrupt the contentment of the unbelieving with a longing for himself...a felt need to fill the God-shaped void in the soul. Until that happens, "no proof is possible."

May we recommit ourselves to be relevant people in the lives of those God interrupts!