A few weeks ago I joined my friend to a closed asylum centre.
We organised a bible study with everyone who would like to join. So, we usually prepare the room and then go out to invite people. The centre is often a reflection of what is happening in the world. Many Palestinians were in as were many people from different African countries. Where there is war, there is a refugee flow.
Some of the familiar faces were ready to come. And then we met two new guys, from Palestine. They asked what we came to do, and I said: ‘we are going to read from the Injil, we will pray and we will sing together. We want to share with you about Isa, your prophet. You are very welcome to join!’
Against all odds one of these guys gets very enthusiastic and says: ‘yes, I will come. We all need to think for ourselves.’ He shared that he comes from an Islamic background and he is very much convinced that it is important to think for yourself. He is ready to hear about a different faith. He and his friend came along. My friend shared the story of the Good Samaritan and we ended up having a good discussion and some intrigued people hearing, maybe for the first time, the gospel.
Growing up in a certain environment means automatically that you grow up in a certain believe system. Whether that is a Christian bubble, an atheistic bubble, an open spirituality bubble, a muslim bubble.
There is an age where kids start to ask questions, even from an early age: maybe you recognise the annoyance of a continuous ‘why’, a never-ending question to all you respond to them. That tiring stage will most likely grow to a place of the child trusting the adult with whatever their response is. And then they will find themselves again at this place of questioning. And that is good!
Depending on your bubble and how much culture (your bubble) allows you to think and depending on the way the adults in your life have raised you, you either stop questioning, or you keep on questioning. We can grow up with a set of answers to the questions we have, but still, we will arrive at a place where we need to ask ourselves: can I trust these answers. Do I believe these answers? (Which obviously is a question.)
When Jesus tells his disciples that we must become like children, could it be that he means: keep on asking questions and at the same time, test Me. Test if you think you can trust Me.
Kids, in many ways, are the most fun version of people. If a parent says: ‘jump, I will catch you’, they will jump. They rely on the words of the parent. They are unpolished and therefore sometimes brutally honest. Which can cause some difficult situations, but also: they do not turn around the issue. On display is the child; who this human being is. Parents like to polish up their kids, since it’s nice to receive the honours when your kid behaves well. But you can only do so much.
There will be a point that the outward life and the inward life should match up. When you arrive at that point you live an authentic life. Being authentic comes with honesty. Being real about your questions. Daring to reflect on whatever you think is true. And that’s the point. Most questions we ask are to discover or determine what is true.
The ancient question: what is truth?
Jesus gives us a simple tool: seek, knock, ask. You will find.
Do you dare to face your questions? The only thing I am afraid of, is when people stand still and do nothing with the questions of life. Or when people bluntly follow the course of their bubble. Someone once told me: God doesn’t have grandchildren. He only has children.
Will you find if you don’t seek? Will a door be opened if you don’t knock? Will you receive without asking? We cannot lean on someone else’s faith. Or someone else’s process. We are by definition in process. And I hope one that allows you to think for yourself.
We organised a bible study with everyone who would like to join. So, we usually prepare the room and then go out to invite people. The centre is often a reflection of what is happening in the world. Many Palestinians were in as were many people from different African countries. Where there is war, there is a refugee flow.
Some of the familiar faces were ready to come. And then we met two new guys, from Palestine. They asked what we came to do, and I said: ‘we are going to read from the Injil, we will pray and we will sing together. We want to share with you about Isa, your prophet. You are very welcome to join!’
Against all odds one of these guys gets very enthusiastic and says: ‘yes, I will come. We all need to think for ourselves.’ He shared that he comes from an Islamic background and he is very much convinced that it is important to think for yourself. He is ready to hear about a different faith. He and his friend came along. My friend shared the story of the Good Samaritan and we ended up having a good discussion and some intrigued people hearing, maybe for the first time, the gospel.
Growing up in a certain environment means automatically that you grow up in a certain believe system. Whether that is a Christian bubble, an atheistic bubble, an open spirituality bubble, a muslim bubble.
There is an age where kids start to ask questions, even from an early age: maybe you recognise the annoyance of a continuous ‘why’, a never-ending question to all you respond to them. That tiring stage will most likely grow to a place of the child trusting the adult with whatever their response is. And then they will find themselves again at this place of questioning. And that is good!
Depending on your bubble and how much culture (your bubble) allows you to think and depending on the way the adults in your life have raised you, you either stop questioning, or you keep on questioning. We can grow up with a set of answers to the questions we have, but still, we will arrive at a place where we need to ask ourselves: can I trust these answers. Do I believe these answers? (Which obviously is a question.)
When Jesus tells his disciples that we must become like children, could it be that he means: keep on asking questions and at the same time, test Me. Test if you think you can trust Me.
Kids, in many ways, are the most fun version of people. If a parent says: ‘jump, I will catch you’, they will jump. They rely on the words of the parent. They are unpolished and therefore sometimes brutally honest. Which can cause some difficult situations, but also: they do not turn around the issue. On display is the child; who this human being is. Parents like to polish up their kids, since it’s nice to receive the honours when your kid behaves well. But you can only do so much.
There will be a point that the outward life and the inward life should match up. When you arrive at that point you live an authentic life. Being authentic comes with honesty. Being real about your questions. Daring to reflect on whatever you think is true. And that’s the point. Most questions we ask are to discover or determine what is true.
The ancient question: what is truth?
Jesus gives us a simple tool: seek, knock, ask. You will find.
Do you dare to face your questions? The only thing I am afraid of, is when people stand still and do nothing with the questions of life. Or when people bluntly follow the course of their bubble. Someone once told me: God doesn’t have grandchildren. He only has children.
Will you find if you don’t seek? Will a door be opened if you don’t knock? Will you receive without asking? We cannot lean on someone else’s faith. Or someone else’s process. We are by definition in process. And I hope one that allows you to think for yourself.
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