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When we read the Bible, I think that we sometimes forget that the people involved were men and women just like us. Even as I wrote that sentence, I started to refer to them as "characters" instead of people - but I realized that calling them that lends itself to the idea that they are players in a drama, or participants in a story. But they were real, breathing human beings with all the flaws and faults that we ourselves have. For example, notice the following scripture:For He taught His disciples and said to them, “The Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of men, and they will kill Him. And after He is killed, He will rise the third day.” But they did not understand this saying, and were afraid to ask Him. - Mark 9:31-32
You see, I can identify with the disciples. There have been many times in my life where I did not understand certain spiritual things, but I was afraid to ask. Lately I've asked myself why that was. What makes us afraid to delve further into things that we don't understand? Don't we want to know the truth? In my case, I think there are a couple of reasons:
The first reason, unfortunately, is spiritual pride. Spiritual pride can make a person afraid to ask questions because they don't want other people to think less about them. Think about the disciples for a minute. Don't you think that people looked at them differently as they walked with Jesus? Thought that they were more knowledgeable, more spiritual than other people because they were close to Him? Do you think they struggled with spiritual pride? Of course they struggled with it. In fact, if you go back and read Mark 9 in its entirety you'll see that while they were on the road to Capernaum they were disputing amongst themselves who was the greatest.
The second reason is lack of faith. I have been afraid to delve further into things because I was afraid of what I might find - afraid that the answer I uncovered might not fit into my nice little structured view of Christianity. I was more comfortable just going with what I'd always been taught as opposed to digging into the Word of God to find out if my tradition lined up with the Scripture.
What was in the disciples minds that day on the road through Galilee? I don't know. Was it spiritual pride - were they all afraid to be the first one to speak up and say "I don't understand what you are saying"? Or was it lack of faith? They were looking for a King to restore the glory of Israel, not a suffering Messiah. Would delving further into His statement of death and resurrection somehow shatter their views and beliefs? Were they afraid to ask because they were afraid of what the answer might be?
What about you? Have you ever been afraid to ask?
YES! And for the same reasons you mentioned and more. As I child I quickly came to the conclusion that people thought you were questioning them or undermining their authority when you had questions, so I learned not to ask questions, because it had a tendency to make folks angry and I didn't want to make anyone angry. Needless to say, I stayed confused and in the dark about a lot of things. I really was taught not to question authority, and I can't even begin to tell of the many times I've gotten into the worst messes because of it, and the things I've been willing to swallow just because, "someone" in authority said so!
ReplyDeleteI've realized I've thought the same thing about God and the things of God. I've been afraid to look too deep into things I didn't understand, because I was afraid that it would seem like I didn't believe Him, because I didn't understand and had questions. Old habits die hard. But God is faithful, and I have learned to ask questions. Sometimes I don't like the answers I get, and yes, some of the answers have messed up my neatly wrapped theology, but I want to know the Truth!
He knows our hearts and He knows what is behind our questions, and He is not offended by a child who comes to Him for answers to things they just don't understand.
Jerri makes a good point - another reason we don't ask questions is because we are afraid of undermining others authority. That may be related to our own timidity, or in some cases it may be intimidation - i.e. we are intimidated by others' authority or knowledge. In fact, this is something that cults use to their advantage to keep their members "in line" so to speak.
ReplyDeleteWe should strive to be like the Bereans - who were not afraid to search for the truth and are commended in the Scriptures for doing so.
I am not sure I have been afraid to ask a question. I certainly have been afraid to listen for the answer. I haven't always been like the Bereans either.
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