Now when the south wind blew gently, supposing that they had obtained their purpose, they weighed anchor and sailed along Crete, close to the shore. 14 But soon a tempestuous wind, called the northeaster, struck down from the land. 15 And when the ship was caught and could not face the wind, we gave way to it and were driven along. 16 Running under the lee of a small island called Cauda, we managed with difficulty to secure the ship’s boat. 17 After hoisting it up, they used supports to undergird the ship. Then, fearing that they would run aground on the Syrtis, they lowered the gear, and thus they were driven along. 18 Since we were violently storm-tossed, they began the next day to jettison the cargo. 19 And on the third day they threw the ship’s tackle overboard with their own hands. 20 When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days, and no small tempest lay on us, all hope of our being saved was at last abandoned.
21 Since they had been without food for a long time, Paul stood up among them and said, “Men, you should have listened to me and not have set sail from Crete and incurred this injury and loss. 22 Yet now I urge you to take heart, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship. 23 For this very night there stood before me an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I worship, 24 and he said, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul; you must stand before Caesar. And behold, God has granted you all those who sail with you.’ 25 So take heart, men, for I have faith in God that it will be exactly as I have been told. 26 But we must run aground on some island.”
One of my favorite quotes is from a list of employee evaluation comments. “This employee has delusions of adequacy.” I love it! A delusion is a false fixed belief that is not open to change – even in light of conflicting evidence. It is not merely a belief based on false or incomplete information, because people with those beliefs are able to repent of their false notions and adjust their beliefs with new evidence. Deluded people are blind to their own blindness.
It may be too harsh to suggest that the crew of the ship had delusions of adequacy. But they certainly did have to face challenges for which they were ill prepared. I say that because Luke makes two statements in this account that show how bad the situation really was. He says, “we,” twice. “We,” Luke writes, “gave way to [the strong wind] and were driven along.” Then, “we managed with difficulty to secure the ship’s boat.” It seems Luke was pressed into service in the face of the terrifying storm.
Paul had earlier warned them (Acts 27:10) that the voyage would be dangerous. But the weather seemed favorable and they seem to have become overconfident and set sail – only to face sudden disaster because they encountered a violent storm. The storm even has a name, “Noreaster.” This wind was feared among ancient sailors for its destructive power. They were overconfident in their ability to sail safely.
This overconfidence led to poor decision-making. They should have known better. The favorable conditions lulled them into a false sense of security. They decided to set sail even though the time for sailing safely had passed. Luke had noted that the Fast was over. This most likely refers to the Day of Atonement. This would be after October 5, the date of the Day of Atonement in A.D. 59. The idea is that as winter approached, the weather became more dangerous for sailing. They decided to head out anyway. Poor decision.
I can easily fall prey to either of these traps. I don’t think I have delusions of adequacy, but I can too easily underestimate the challenges that may lie ahead in a path of my own choosing. I don’t underestimate the challenges of a hike up a mountain. But I can underestimate how long it may take to complete a job I’ve undertaken. And we’ve all made poor decisions. I certainly have.
Years ago I had a great idea. I don’t recall exactly what it was, but I do recall sharing the idea with a faithful and dedicated church staff member. She looked at me, squinted her eyes, and with a puzzled look on her face asked, “Have you thought about…” Again, I don’t remember the exact idea or her exact words. But I do recall that my idea was an overreach, and her question helped me reassess my ability to make the plan work.
Thank God for those who call me to reconsider. Thank God that when we do alter our course, or reassess our own capabilities, he is gracious to receive us in love and does not disqualify us from further more appropriate avenues of service!
David Bahn - Reflections 