Hi, a map can be incredibly useful. It can show
us where we are, where we want to go, and which
roads might take us there. But a map is not the
place itself. It cannot show us every tree along
the road. It cannot capture the smell of the
air, the sound of the traffic, or the feeling
of standing. in that particular place. A map
represents reality but it does not contain all
of reality. The same is true of a mathematical
model. An equation can describe how a population
grows. A graph can show the path of a planet.
A statistical model can estimate how people are
likely to behave. These models can reveal something
true and important. But every model focuses our
attention on certain features while leaving other
features out. A model of population growth may
not account for a year, or a new technology,
or a cultural change. A financial model may describe
investment returns, without capturing the fear
that someone feels when the market suddenly falls.
The model may be accurate within its purpose,
without being the whole story. Problems begin
when we forget the difference between a representation
and the reality it represents. We begin to trust
the map more than the landscape. In religious
language, this can be a form of idolatry. We
often think of an idol as a physical statue that
someone worships. But perhaps idolatry can happen
whenever we take something limited and treat
it as though it was ultimate. That limited thing
could be an image. It could be a political philosophy.
It could be a theological system. Think systematic
theology. It could even be our own understanding
of God. Words, metaphors, doctrines, and traditions
can help shape our understanding of God. We describe
God as a father, a shepherd, a king, a rock,
or a consuming fire. Each image reveals something
meaningful, but none of them contains the fullness
of God. A shepherd is a helpful picture, but
God is not merely a shepherd. A king reveals
authority, but he does not say everything about
God's tenderness. Even when our words are true,
the reality towards which they point is greater.
than the words themselves. A shape can help us
see but it can also limit our vision. It becomes
a window when we look through it toward a reality
beyond itself. It becomes a wall when we assume
that nothing exists beyond the boundaries we
have drawn. And I think this requires a particular
kind of humility. We do not have to discard our
maps, our models, our beliefs. We need them.
Without them, we would struggle to understand
or communicate anything. But we can hold them
with an awareness that reality may be larger
than our representation of it. Mathematics teaches
us to appreciate models while continuing to test
their boundaries. Faith may invite us to do something
similar, to treasure what has been revealed while
remaining humble before the mystery that remains.
So here's our question for today. Is there a
picture, a model, or belief in your life that
you might be asking to contain more of reality
than it possibly can? I know I can think of a
couple for myself.