Article February 3, 1973 Issue

Human Reason and Security

GEORGE W. LEDBETTER

Gale warnings were out, and the wind and rain were beating against the east end of the building in gusts up to 70 miles an hour. One window in particular seemed to be groaning in protest, and the family were afraid that it might blow open.

However, as we were looking at it and wondering what we could do, we suddenly saw that the one-section window pivoted on its vertical axis at the top and bottom and the force of the wind against one half of the window, tending to open it, was balanced by the same wind force on the other half, tending to keep it closed. What a relief! But was this true security?

No. Human reasoning based on matter is like quicksand: it gives us no solid base to rest on but can draw us deeper and deeper into uncertainty, speculation, and fear. In the case of the window, the understanding of the "equal forces" quieted one fear. But suppose the window were to be broken by some object blown against it—what then? A real sense of security came only when our thought was lifted completely above human speculation regarding danger from the storm to dwell on the presence and power of God.

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