In recent years I have learned to not only appreciate those things which others may understand better than I, but I have also gained an appreciation for my own lack of understanding, and for the process through which we as people come to understand. In essence, I am beginning to understand understanding. While this attitude has been several years in the making, it has been especially important during my time in Spain. It's intriguing to see how people communicate when common language skills don't exist. It has been difficult, but rewarding. Normally, when we ask each other questions, we use words to articulate it. But when those words are not available life gets so much more interesting (and yes, frustrating).
Mario, for example, is the name of one of the two boys I take care of here in Spain. It is worth noting that he does speak English, but he does so very badly. That's not his fault of course. In fact for a 10 year old Spanish boy, he speaks excellent English. However communicating with Mario presents a serious challenge. The most important tool we have had to overcome this, is the ability to express questions without words. It's interesting to see how the emotion, facial expressions, body language, and attitudes all play a critical role in communicating when there are no words to hide behind. Not only that, but the ways in which we have been forced to answer each others questions has been equally as interesting.
Now the idea here is not a new one, nor one that I am just now embracing, but rather one that is constantly being reinforced in my mind. It is this: To me, the most beautiful part of communication, be it through language or some other method, is in filling the hole left by a lack of knowledge. In other words, I love questions. Like a lot.
My appreciation for questions comes largely from the fact that i firmly believe we serve a God who not only wants us to question Him, but questions us in return. I'll expand on this another time, but for now we'll leave it at that. Let me also take a moment to clarify what I mean here by "question Him" because I can already see the pitchforks and torches headed my way. What I am not saying, is that we should doubt or deny God, and I am by no means encouraging defiance. That is actually quite the opposite of the point I am making. Instead we should take the doubts which will inevitably appear in our hearts and our minds (the hole left by a lack of knowledge) and examine them to the point of interrogating God in search of the truth, all the while with the intent to grown in love through knowledge and insight (Philippians 1:10), and achieve a greater understanding of our God and our faith. Yes, I said interrogate. To interrogate is to ask questions (of someone) closely, aggressively, or formally. In the story of Jacob, as he wrestles with God, it seems clear to me that our God is one who desires that we not only seek after Him, but also seek to understand Him and His ways, and that we do so aggressively (or in Christian-ese: intentionally). Some might disagree with my interpretation of that story, but that's a conversation for another day. The point is this: since we know we are human, and we will all face questions to which we do not know the answer, we ought to bring these questions, in faith and with respect to the underlying truths that we hold firm to, before our father in pursuit of the answer. So what are those underlying truths?
Simply put, the Gospel is that truth. Christians absolutely must agree on the basics of the gospel. Whether we claim to be Calvinist, Arminian, both (yes I am aware they hold conflicting views, I'm only making a point), or neither, if we claim to be Christians we must come together with regard to the truth of Romans 10:9-13. Regardless of the specifics of the faith, if one claims to be a Christian, this passage is crucial. Paul clearly lays out the means by which a person comes to redemption. One could pick apart the finer points of soteriology until the cows come home (which I may do in a later post), but without the agreement on the idea that man is redeemed by Christ's death and resurrection, and consequently, God's loving and faithful nature, we will get nowhere with each other and we will most certainly get nowhere with God.
Anyway where was I? Right. Questions. I believe in the power of a question, because I believe Christ does as well. He, just like many people in the days of His ministry on Earth, had a habit of relying heavily on such language in order to get at the heart of the matter (and the heart of people). The perfect example of this can be found in the New Testament when Christ is approached by an "expert in the law". Here is how Luke tells the story (Luke 10:25-29 NIV)
"Teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?"
"What is written in the Law?" He replied. "How do you read it?"
He answered " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your strength and with all your mind' and 'Love your neighbor as yourself' "
"You have answered correctly," Jesus replied. "Do this and you will live."
But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?"
This is what fascinates me. When I read this, I imagine Jesus sighing as he says "What is written in the Law?" as if to say "can we skip this part, because we both know this isn't what you really want to know." Maybe that's just my imagination playing into it, but having studied Spanish for a short time now, I'm learning that questions transcend specific languages, and go far beyond a simple communication of facts. Instead they give a glimpse at the heart of the person behind the question, the person the question is directed at, and the topic of discussion itself. Jesus is well aware of that here, which is why instead of simply answering the man's final question, he replies with a story. We know this story as "The Good Samaritan".
Jesus responds this way because he is uninterested in simply giving the man an answer. Instead, as is His nature, Christ deals directly with the mans heart as revealed through his question, and in doing so reveals some of the heart of God in return. It's a beautiful and convicting exchange and it's one that perfectly displays the power of a simple question.
I'm slowly learning to utilize this power. I'm learning to not only recognize my own lack of knowledge but to pursue the answer, and through it a better understanding of the heart of God, and even a better understanding of my own heart. I would encourage everyone else to do the same. But the hard part comes in having a heart that genuinely desires truth from such questions, rather than the self-justification that the lawyer sought.
Questions are a gift, so ask away. Don't be afraid to not know. Don't be afraid to pursue truth through others who may have found it. And most certainly don't be afraid to pursue it in the only one who can provide ultimate truth.
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