In 2018, an event made international news. A soccer team of twelve boys and their coach became trapped inside the Tham Luang cave in northern Thailand. The team had gone to explore the cave. But the monsoon rains came and sealed off their exit, pushing them miles inside a twisting, waterlogged cave system. For over two weeks, rescuers fought to find the boys and bring them to safety. Thai Navy SEALs, international volunteers, engineers, medical teams, and elite cave divers from around the world came to help. Happily, all thirteen were saved.

I recently learned some interesting facts about this story that I didn’t know in 2018. Two of the rescuers, Rick Stanton and John Volanthen, were British natives. Stanton, a retired firefighter, and Volanthen, a tech engineer, were cave diving hobbyists. They weren’t in the military, but they ultimately became the heroes of the story because of their unique set of skills. 

There are three prominent cave diving methods, each with its own techniques and culture. Mexican cave divers specialize in clear, spacious caves and are experts in long-distance navigation. Floridian cave diving focuses on deep cave formations with fast-flowing water. It produces divers who excel in technical planning, teamwork, and dealing with strong currents. The last one method is British cave diving, with which Stanton and Volanthen were familiar.  

British caves are known for low visibility, narrow passages, and muddy floors. They require solo diving due to tight spaces. British divers excel in dark, cramped caves where they swim alone and can do so without panicking.  

All three methods are impressive forms of diving. But it was the British caves that most closely resembled the Thai cave structure, making Stanton and Volanthen uniquely qualified to rescue the boys. 

What looked terrifying to most of the world was familiar to them. And when the time came, the entire rescue operation—SEALs, engineers, doctors, and global volunteers— turned to these two British hobbyists to lead the way, not because they were better, but because their experience fit the mission. 

When I heard this, I was reminded of some Biblical principles. The Thai Navy SEALs, the engineers, the logisticians, the volunteers—everyone worked together for one goal: to save the boys. No one fought for control. No one insisted that their way was best simply because of rank or title. They did not say it had to be done by their method of cave diving. 

Of course, the church is meant to operate in the same way. It also illustrates the point that expertise doesn’t make you qualified for everything. The SEALs were extraordinary, brave, disciplined, and highly trained. The Mexican divers were experts in their field, as were the Floridians, but they weren’t specialists in this area. And the moment they recognized it, they deferred to the British divers. 

In the church, wisdom acts in the same way: by submitting to the people whose gifts fit the moment. James reminds us that the “poor” are often rich in faith. Often, it is not the impressive, the loud, or the most obvious by human standards who are best qualified to meet a particular need. Sometimes, the ones God uses are unassuming amateurs who become heroes. There will be times when the guy who has a seminary degree should give way to somebody who doesn’t.