“ The Pharisees came and began to question Jesus. To test him, they asked him for a sign from heaven. He sighed deeply and said, ‘Why does this generation ask for a sign? Truly I tell you, no sign will be given to it.’” (Mark 8:11-12)

In Mark 8:11–12 Jesus was confronted by the religious leaders asking for a sign. The original text implies that their request was for proof of his trustworthiness rather than another display of his mighty acts. Jesus was deeply grieved by their overt unbelief, characteristic of their entire generation. He sighed deeply and emphatically declared that no sign would be given. Their insincerity was evident by a complete denial of what they had witnessed up until this point. Jesus had proven himself to be trustworthy by his sacrificial love and acts of service. There was nothing self-oriented in his ministry. Demanding further empirical evidence betrayed a lack of faith. Seeing before believing feeds a never-ending craving for certainty. Those who trust and believe, however, will see. Their deep inner confidence will yield clarity versus certainty. Risk everything to follow the ultimate “Who” rather than obsess for certainty on all the details of “what.”

KEY QUESTIONS: Why is clarity on “who” more important than certainty on “what?” Do I tend to follow those I trust or leaders who are certain about everything? How will clarity about my vision and flexibility on the details communicate trust to others? How might certainty break down trust?