The Greatest Question Ever Asked

If you're anything like me you probably get a kick out of the hilarious questions that seem to find their way out of a child's mouth. I myself find it hard to keep from laughing when I hear some of the thoughts that swim around in their little heads. I've had to work at keeping a straight face when such questions arise because, if you haven't noticed, kids take their questions and your answers to those questions very seriously.






Who among us hasn't, at one time or another, been asked the age old question "Why is the sky blue?" or, better yet, "Where do babies come from?" Although there is only one answer to each of these questions, you will find that rarely is the true answer ever articulated. In fact, it's become the norm to respond with a false answer. Here are some typical responses a child receives in regards to the second question:

While I'll admit that I found the above responses quite humorous, it also made me question what it is about the Truth that makes it so difficult to tell. Do we purposely give children false answers because we get a kick out of knowing they'll believe every word we say? Is it that we ourselves aren't sure what the real answer is? Or could it be that we don't find the Truth to be as interesting as the answers we make up? Whatever the case may be, I can't help but think of the words found in John 8:32:

"Then you will know the Truth and the Truth will set you free."

Perhaps the reason I so deeply consider this subject is because I have always been a Truth-seeker. It makes me smile as I recall the times as a child when I would ask my parents "why?" after every question they would answer. By the time I got to the eleventh "why?" my parents would say, "You're just playing games. Go outside and play." Every time they would say this I would end up walking away frustrated and confused. I longed to know the true answers to my questions. It hurt me to think that my parents were keeping the answers from me when I wanted desperately to know the Truth.

I recently received an e-mail from a Christian teenage boy who asked me and three other women what our opinion was on girls wearing bikinis. Were we for or against them? Do we think it's wrong or do we think it's not a big deal? My heart went out to the boy as the three women proceeded to tease him about the way he worded his question, the fact that he wasn't knowledgable about different styles of swimsuits, and the fact that he was letting the question bother him in the first place. My heart broke as he told the women that he was now embarrassed that he asked. The Lord burdened my heart to write him a private e-mail sharing with him what the Word of God says about the topic and to tell him that I wish more people would seek the Truth like he does. The words of my e-mail were Spirit-filled and full of Scripture. The boy responded to my e-mail by telling me that this was exactly the answer he was looking for and thanked me profusely for sharing it with him.

I don't tell you this story to elevate myself, for the words were the Lord's alone. I share this with you so that you may consider the importance of questions and the value of the Truth. How I pray that we make the choice, from this day forward, to adopt a Biblical worldview and to hold to the wisdom found in Scripture, even when it's inconvenient. Who has ever made a difference by doing what was easy or convenient? It's those who dare to start brushfires in the minds of others that will find that the only thing left standing in the end is the Truth.

May we cherish every time someone asks us "why?" and may we also come to realize that every answer we give may determine whether someone walks in the darkness of the world or the light of God's Truth.

"Keep asking, and it will be given to you. Keep searching, and you will find. Keep knocking, and the door will be opened for you."

~ Matthew 7:7