Facing What’s Under the Waterline

The English word iceberg is derived from the Dutch, ijsberg, which literally means ice mountain.

Icebergs form when pieces of a glacier break off into the ocean to form frozen islands. Some are small, while others are enormous. Some are larger than mountains.

The largest iceberg on record was discovered in the South Pacific Ocean by the (appropriately named) USS Glacier on November 12, 1956. This iceberg measured over 12,000 square miles, making it larger than Belgium!

According to Archimedes’ Principle of Buoyancy, what is seen above the waterline is roughly 10% of the entire mountain of ice.

Sin is like an iceberg.

What we perceive outwardly in words and actions is at most 10% of the problem. Under the surface exist motives and desires to which many of us are oblivious. Thus, we minimize the significance of our sin as a relatively small thing we can manage.

As long as nobody sees the iceberg under the waterline, I can maintain my posture as a reasonably decent guy.

For those willing to look under the waterline, spiritual renewal awaits.

I’m not sure where I read it, but it’s true. The principle is this: we are aware (at most) of…