Why not question?

Mark 9:30-32 Message  “Leaving there, they went through Galilee. He didn’t want anyone to know their whereabouts, for he wanted to teach his disciples. He told them, “The Son of Man is about to be betrayed to some people who want nothing to do with God. They will murder him. Three days after his murder, he will rise, alive.” They didn’t know what he was talking about, but were afraid to ask him about it.”

Don’t you just hate the feeling when you are talking to someone and they are just talking way over your head, but instead of telling them you have no idea what they are talking about, you just stand there nodding your head in mock agreement?

How about having a really serious conversation, settling an issue and then later realizing you have more questions?

Or have you ever been completely in the dark about something that you maybe should have known about? This happens to me more frequently than I care to admit. Sometimes people assume that if they have already told Jeff something, I already know it too. Sadly, this is just not the case, and I end up trying to string together the new information they are telling me with my vivid imagination and quick prayers shot to heaven for supernatural knowledge.

I remember learning the game Settlers of Catan for the first time. My dear friends, Dave and Beth, patiently explained the game to me and Jeff. If you’ve never played this amazing game, this is an example of things they were saying, “Now, you need this stick and this house to start the game. Why don’t you put it on that ore and that wheat, so that later you will have the resources needed to upgrade to a city, which will then give you double the production.” Got it. Right. I played the entire game pretty much clueless and the really fun part about that is I think I even won.

No one likes feeling left in the dark, especially when you are actually supposed to be on the inside track. Sometimes, like me learning to play Settlers, you even have all the information but can’t quite line it up so it makes sense.

Here’s the scenario. The disciples are following Jesus around. They are envied by the masses who would love the opportunity to be around him more. They are privy to all sorts of inside information. He is feeding the 5,000, then the 4,000. He calms the storm and walks on water. He is casting out demons and healing the diseased.  So far, they are tracking with him just fine. They’ve got it figured out that they definitely want to be around for what’s up next. He has quite literally brought a lot of excitement into their lives.

Then comes the curve ball. He’s going to die at the hands of men and be raised three days later.

Ok, Jesus, you just lost us. We are clueless or at least questionless.

And isn’t that where one of our biggest dilemmas in life happens? When we are obediently following Jesus and suddenly the floor beneath our feet suddenly feels like quicksand? “He led me HERE?”, we think, but would never say out loud, should we look unspiritual to all those watching us.

With the events of Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection in their rear view mirrors, were the disciples sitting around having a bunch of “Oh, yeah, remember-when-he-said-this, now-I-get-it” moments…? Why is hindsight the only sight that get to be 20/20?

Why, like the disciples, are we so terrified of asking questions when we don’t understand something? Are we scared of the answers or scared of our Teacher? Perhaps we just don’t even know what to ask?

I find that I am wanting my present life to be lived in such a way that I am asking better questions of those around me and of the Lord.

Because this much I do know…Fear is such a thief.