Mom! Are we there yet? Where’s my…? When can I…? Can I have…? Do I have to…? Why?!?!
You’re the pastor’s wife, so you’ll know. Who is…? What is…? When is…? Where is…? Why is…? Will you tell your husband…?
Mrs. Terrell! How do I…? Do I really need to know…? Will you help me…? What?!?!
Have you ever considered how many questions you answer in a single day? As a mom, a pastor’s wife, and a teacher, I often feel like all I do is answer questions. As long as I am well fed and well rested, I wholeheartedly welcome questions of every kind. (Unfortunately, I am not always well fed or well rested!) Questions serve as great conversation starters and conversation carriers. We simply cannot learn without asking questions.
Some of my favorite questions come from high school students who think they are throwing me off topic. I’ll never grow tired of seeing their shocked faces when I end up taking them even further down their suggested rabbit trail in order to help them see an incredibly beautiful and complex truth about theology or apologetics from a scientific perspective. Jaws dropped a few weeks ago when a random question about space travel led into a conversation about God’s eternality and aseity. That was quite a ride!
Jesus was certainly no stranger to questions. On Holy Tuesday, three days before his crucifixion, he received question after question after question from the religious authorities in an attempt to throw him off or trap him. Unphased by their evil schemes, he saw every question as an opportunity to speak truth. He astonished the crowds by his answers (Matthew 22:33) and chastised the spiritual leaders for their hypocrisy (Matthew 23). The gospel accounts of this question-filled day in history highlight Jesus’ impressive stamina and his rock-solid commitment to truth and personal holiness.
In the middle of rebuking sinners and discussing the end times, Jesus underlines the two greatest commandments. “And he said to them, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself’” (Matthew 22:37-29). Every time we answer questions, we are given a chance to love God with our minds and to love people well. Sometimes we won’t have an answer for a certain question, and that’s okay. In such a case, our manner of response speaks volumes, and we can humbly search for truth alongside the inquisitive person.
Do we welcome questions in our everyday lives? Do we share God’s truth in the words we say? Do we share God’s love in the way we respond? Those questions are well worth pondering.
Holy Tuesday Reading:
Matthew 21:23-24:51
Mark 11:20-13:37
Luke 20:1-21:36
John 12:20-38
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