“There’s no such thing as a stupid question.”
We’ve all heard that, right? But then someone asks a question that makes us wonder. So we roll our eyes and come to the conclusion that a preemptive answer is better than a stupid question and, if we are not careful, we will turn into “answer people” who try to give quick answers that don’t allow for deeper exploration.
This morning, I read again the familiar story of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10. I want to share the conversation surrounding the parable to show the power of questions.
On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
“What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?” [Notice that Jesus replied with a question]
He answered: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul 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?” (Luke 10:25-29, New International Version)
We can see, from this exchange, that the “expert in the law” was really asking the question, “According to your view, who am I required to love? Where is the line where I can stop loving and still be right with God?”
Instead of answering the question, Jesus tells the parable of the Good Samaritan in verses 30-35. And, in an unexpected turn, He follows His story with a question:
“Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” (v. 36)
With a question, Jesus changes the entire focus of the conversation. Instead of answering, “Who is my neighbor (who am I required to love),” Jesus asks, “Who needs a neighbor (needs to be loved).”
The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”
Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.” (v. 37)
Jesus could have simply answered the first question with a quick, “Love God and love people.” Likely nothing would have changed because the man was not really seeking truth. It would be easy to walk away and say, “Well, that is His opinion.”
But in asking questions that required the man to internally process and then speak his own thoughts, Jesus puts the ball firmly in his court. Now if he walks away unchanged, it is a deliberate rejection of what he knows to be true.
Powerful!
Question: How do we sometimes hinder the work of God in someone’s life by answering too quickly?
Leave your comment below. I’d love to dialogue with you around your perspective.
