“6 Yet among the mature we do impart wisdom, although it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to pass away. 7 But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory. 8 None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 9 But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him”— 10 these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. 11 For who knows a person’s thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. 12 Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. 13 And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual. 14 The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. 15 The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one. 16 “For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ.” (1 Cor 2:6-16 ESV)
Searching, fishing, the level-headed Saint experiences the Unknown, the way Christian aptitude sheers away the layers of a wide Social License. We are mysterious beings. We scarcely know the bedrock of the Situation. We barely realize the unspoken Dialog. We hardly comprehend the prize patrol or the prize Attainment.
Christ meant something distant, but in fact heartfelt, to the early disciples. No matter how Clever, no matter how Sneaky, no matter how Opposed, to approach on Christian Terms is to approach peaceably and Sanguine. Even as a war of the worlds is wrought beneath the ostensible, surface, social clues and meaning.
To fish, to search, this is the saint chasing after a New Plateau or New Outlet, Avenue, Wormhole. It is some heavier mindset around Purpose fought for, around Weight tossed about a bit, around Where and Why we—on faith and nothing more—prod about a bit. We seek; we Invest; we Compliment and Applaud. That the would-be new saint, the Listener, the Alternate, Enemy, Comrade in Dialog, be propelled and directed in Saintly Direction. In the Unknown. In the Mystery Religion. In the Soothsaying enigma.
Because Christ completes the puzzle. Christ manages the coming together. Christ apprehends the scurrying Spirit. The Spirit Within, who is Today placated a bit, though not down for the count as of yet. Who is Today entertained a bit, though not for once lanced through. Who will be lanced through, come Conversion, Confession, Trust Fall. The swaying being of sin and former habits, now shot through the heart, and swaying still… but doomed.
Because it is Joy and Believing thus to apprehend and comprehend a Christian’s Witness. It is after all, not like an invisible alternate reality, but an apprehended Present Beauty, Joy, Delight. Something Real, Tangible, Incarnate, invades our being, and to all those who sway and murmur that all is in the mind… to these we submit not for a moment! Christ is effusive, ebullient, enigmatic, and elysian fields to the Adoptee. Adoptee of Faith, of Duty, of Laughing and Luminescent newfound Genius, Saving Grace, Apprehended Kumbaya Peace.
Christ is careful to posit Wisdom over and against that truth that the fishing expedition, the searching program, is Unknown and dealing in the Unseen awkward or socially tense or socially fraught Realities, Management, Tennis Match. Back-and-forth, nervous and desiring either to please or to keep things kosher, we are after all Children of a Living God, a Parent Divine, and our cleverness, our secret allegiance, our spycraft, is upheld even, despite, being submitted to the social Hour. We are not more clever, only better informed. Better informed about what makes a Man, the spirit within a Man, the Goals and Totems of Man. And Christ is happy to swoop in and catch the one Slain in the Spirit. Because this is Man’s, Woman’s War. Clever no more, but Submitted and Searching, Fishing, after souls. Who go their way gladly, personably, intentionally, in order that the Prize revolve around active engaged Life, no rote nor memorized emptiness, no puppetry, but a Living Spirit who informs and advises.