Comparing Rocks

Passing time on a recent road trip, I was listening to a debate between a renowned, chemist atheist and an esteemed, mathematician theist. They were arguing whether or not science could explain everything. Their back and forth banter, though interesting, began to almost hypnotize me like one watching a ping pong match from the side of the table, his eyes tracking the ball back and forth across the net. Thus, I didn’t catch it the first time the atheist said it. He slipped. Badly. Throughout the debate he had kept rudely suggesting that the theist, a Christian, was lazy and ignorant because his worldview was based, not on evidence, but on faith. The Christian theist had kept insisting, not only did he have evidence for what he believed, but also that the atheist too had faith. Lots of it. The atheist just put his faith in science. It was towards the end of the debate when the atheist slipped. He said of his worldview, “Science is my rock.” I didn’t realize what he had said until, while continuing to try to argue that his view was so much more intelligent than the Christian’s, he said it the second time, “It (science) is my rock.” His opponent caught it too. He interrupted, “Wait, you just said that science was your rock.” The atheist looked sheepish. What he had just admitted was that he was exercising faith by trusting science as the basis of all his beliefs. Of course, it is no shame for a Christian to admit he has faith. The theist continued, “Your rock is science. My Rock is the resurrection of Jesus Christ, for which there is much evidence.” I saw it immediately: It was a contest of rocks. Each had placed his faith in something upon which he established all of his beliefs, values, and life. But the rocks were vastly different. Which rock could actually support reality, morality, meaning, and purpose? Only one Rock of all rocks has never failed. It was then an ancient line of a song, Moses’ song, sounded in my head—and heart: “For their rock is not as our Rock, even our enemies themselves being judges.” (Deu 32:31). That was around three and a half thousand years ago. Even then rocks were being compared. Even then, compared to others, there was no rock like our Rock. Moses pointed out that, if the enemies of God’s people would take an honest look, they would have to admit there is no rock like ours. Ours is incomparably superior. Actually, it is no contest. Ultimately, our Rock isn’t just a belief, event, or even a book. It is a person. Jesus. In modern conversation I have often heard different folks, grateful for someone who had been helpful, encouraging, and strengthening during the crises and difficulties of their life, saying of that person, “He’s my rock.” I heard a wife recently say it of a husband, “He’s my rock.” I heard a lady say it of her best friend, “She’s my rock.” And an adult child of a parent, “Dad’s my rock.” Every believer can say, and should say, of Christ, “He’s my Rock .” None need be embarrassed to admit that. On Christ the solid Rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand!

Comparing Rocks

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