The Tip of the Iceberg

Every school kid knows that the tip of an iceberg represents only 10% of its size. There is more there than meets the eye. Every parent of a school kid knows that when a kid admits to doing something wrong, he is only revealing about 10% of what actually happened. Likewise pastors and others who counsel know that presenting problems tend to reveal a fraction of what is at play—the tip of an iceberg.

There is another application of this phenomenon: the work of Jesus.

The Gospel of John included these interesting verses. Maybe we should call these iceberg passages.

Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. John 20:30-31

Now there are also many other things that Jesus did. Were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. John 21:25

While the first quote may be signaling that John intended to accent just seven key signs and the second quote may be hyperbolic, we are right to be thinking “iceberg.” John signals that what we read in the Scriptures about Jesus and what he did looks to be just the tip of the iceberg. For that matter by extension, we could easily conclude that all that has been chronicled in the Scriptures is just a fraction, and a small one at that, of all of the grace, mercy, power, love, wisdom, righteousness, and goodness of God.

That’s a good thing to think on. Consider: what we see of the work of Jesus is just a fraction of what he has done and is doing. There is more to “what he is up to” than meets the eyes.

We can take comfort in that. As you scan the horizon of daily life, when you see what seems like a peek at Jesus at work, you can be assured that he is doing more than meets the eye. Has your congregation experienced a conversion or two, but not as many as you would like to see? Have you seen some clear answers to your prayers, but not as many as you would like to see? Have you seen a few definite demonstrations of Jesus extending his love through the Church, but not nearly as numerous as you would like to see?

Take comfort. Remember the iceberg passages.

Trust, too. Trust that God is doing more than it looks like he is doing. We should never be pessimistic in the Kingdom of God. Someone has said pessimism is a sin for people of hope. We trust that God is working in ways beneath the surface because of what (little bit) we do see above the surface.

Humility can be associated with this insight. Often we Christians want to dictate the direction and actions that Jesus should take. We presume he is not doing what he should be doing or at least not doing enough of it. We criticize him for not showing his stuff. Here understanding the iceberg principle can lead us to Job-like humility. “I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know.” (Job 42:3) Translated: I saw the 10% and forgot about the other 90%.

One more thought. Remember what (most) icebergs are. They are chunks of glaciers. Glaciers are proverbially slow. Ever wait on God and wonder if he had forgotten you? God is a lot of things, but he is seldom in a hurry. So patience too is part of the lesson of observing the tip of the iceberg.

Seated at the right hand of the Father and through the working of the Holy Spirit, Jesus is building his kingdom. No matter what it looks like, the gates of hell cannot prevail against him. Yes, there are days that you don’t see much happening in his Kingdom. Make no mistake and be of good courage. What you do see Jesus doing is just the tip of the iceberg.