On the Importance of Questions

I believe that questions are important. Incredibly important.

I’ve said it before – I am a question asker. I like questions. I like to ask questions. I like being asked questions. I like thinking about questions that come up in my mind throughout the day. I like contemplating the hard questions in life. 

Perhaps the reason I love questions is because I love research. And questions are certainly the foundation of research. 

But, I like questions primarily because they are relational in so many ways. 

For Christians in particular, questions can sometimes be or provide an open door for us to share the love of Christ in unique ways. 

This blog post is a little different. I want to share some questions that I have asked others, and questions that I have been asked by others, as well as give a small snippet into the conversation and story surrounding each particular question. 

How are you really doing? 

I asked this of a close friend who had just lost an unborn child. We talked for two hours about what she was indeed really feeling.

How are your children? 

I asked this of someone who was going through a divorce. I received a substantial life update on each of the children, and this person smiled for the first time in a long time. 

What is your favorite book of the Old Testament and why? 

I ask this of my students every time I teach Introduction to the Old Testament. I’ve gotten extensive paragraphs about the book of Ruth and why it’s someone’s favorite book… and I’ve gotten a one sentence response: “I don’t know. I’ve never read the Old Testament. I just became a believer this year.” And I get to walk with these students through the Old Testament, and see how their answers develop throughout the course. 

What pronoun would you like me to refer to you by? 

I asked this question to a transgender student at a previous secular job. Later on, I had the opportunity to minister to him as he worked toward reconciling with his estranged family. I got regular updates, and regular smiles, tears and laughter. 

What does it mean to call God “Father”?

I asked this question myself to a Sunday School teacher when I was young. Coming from a household without a father, this was a new concept to me. It opened a world of questions. 

How is your wife doing with law school? 

I asked this of another female friend. Her wife was preparing for the bar exam. Later on I remember going for a cookout at their house, and having a lengthy conversation about religion with her wife. 

Can I help you? 

I asked this of a student who walked into my office at a previous job. He was holding back tears. His grandmother had recently passed, and he didn’t know how he would make it through school without her. We talked, he cried, we talked some more, we both cried. Later on, I watched him graduate with his entire family cheering him on. 

What did the doctor say? 

I asked this of a friend who was getting a biopsy done on an abnormal mass. The biggest fear was cancer. The results came back clean. We cried and prayed together. 

Am I still made in the image of God? 

A friend who identifies as bisexual asked me this when they were working through their thoughts on their own sexuality and their beliefs. I said yes. They still occasionally send me a text with a prayer request. I always pray. 

How much is this? 

I asked this of the clerk at an antique book store as I was exploring the area with a friend. He found out that both of us could read/speak other languages (me – Greek and Hebrew, her – Spanish and French). We spent three hours in this book store, with this little old man showing us his treasures. He tried really hard to convince me to buy a beautiful Hebrew Torah made by hand. I didn’t have the money, but I told him that if I ever came back I would buy something. He said he would save a Bible for me.

Can you believe that? 

I asked this question, rhetorically, of my mom when I found out that you could get a whole college degree in studying the Bible. Seven years later and a lot of hours in classrooms, I am still utterly in love with the Word of God. 

Questions are important. Significant conversations happen around them. Major life developments can stem from one question. God can work in mysterious ways with just one question. Doors are opened with questions. Christ’s love has a pathway to reach a person with just one question. 

Keep asking questions.