Have you ever had this experience?  You’ve picked up a few nuggets of wisdom and/or truth.  And with time and conversation, it’s become this pristine, airtight sound bite.  You’ve just performed your soliloquy.  Once finished (and – I might add – extremely proud of yourself), someone adds a perfectly placed “Well yes, but…” and you’re suddenly aware of just how much you don’t know.

I ask the question only because of my experience with the scenario.  Someone, who knows a little bit more about the issue at hand, expands my tiny window of insight.  It really didn’t negate the truth or importance of what I was saying.  It only served to add more context and deepen the perspective.

The situation with Apollos in Acts 18 is a great example of this situation.  He “had been instructed in the way of the Lord” and “spoke and taught accurately the things concerning Jesus”.  The guy knew what he was talking about and did it with proficiency.  He’s described as an “eloquent man, competent in the Scriptures”.  Up to this point, he’s teed up as an authority until it adds this qualifier: “…though he knew only the baptism of John.”.  It then goes on to say:

²⁶ He began to speak boldly in the synagogue, but when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately. (emphasis mine)

The scripture ends by explaining he was referred up the chain to the disciples and was welcomed.  Here’s my takeaway, consolation and personal pep-talk:

Not knowing everything doesn’t mean I’m not presently valuable.  It just means I don’t know everything.  It also doesn’t mean I have to delay starting something until I DO know everything. 

I’ve made this mistake.  I think a lot of people have made this mistake.  If God’s called us to something, we need to start “boldly” with what we have and God will send others to gradually open our window and broaden our perspective as we prove faithful with little.