These days, at Mars Hill Graduate School, we are considering a lot of “What if” questions:
- What if you truly loved your neighbor as yourself?
- What if you were truly willing to enter the heartache of a fallen world?
- What if you truly believed the gospel could change the world?
They are almost trick questions because, of course, as a Christian, one is almost mandated to answer them in a positive,
definitive, and no-questions-asked sort-of way:
- Of course I love my neighbor as myself!
- Of course I’m willing to enter the heartache of a fallen world!
- Of course I truly believe the gospel can change the world!
The problem is that our lives don’t reflect our oh-so-confident response. At least mine doesn’t.
And that’s why I like these questions.
They provoke me. They prod me. They haunt me. Theyprompt even more questions. And all of this is good.
I wonder if Jesus’ parables didn’t strike a similar chord. He consistently provoked and prodded and haunted – especially those who thought they had all the right answers. They prompted even more questions – still. And all of this is good.
Here are some more “what if” questions:
- What if I wasn’t afraid to ask questions?
- What if wasn’t afraid of not getting the answers right? What if I asked more questions of myself,
others, and even God? - What if, indeed?
All of this is definitely good.