I Just Gotta Ask ... WHY?

I have a question. Not surprising, I know, coming from me.  My son says that the new license tag on my car ending in Y4S is absolutely appropriate for me (I didn’t choose it, it just happened).  You see, I have to know why.  If you can explain to me the ‘why’ of something, then I can wrap my head around it and assimilate it into my being.  If not, then I am lost.  I’m sorry, I just am.

Just like algebra.  My younger brother used to help me with it and I remember asking him why?  “Why do you do it?  How do you know you’re supposed to do it?”  When his answer was simply, “You just do,” I was lost.  I never ever really understood it. There is no ‘why.’

 

I have spent the better part of my life looking for the ‘why.’   'Why' does that child behave like that?  'Why' does that agency or organization do it that way?  I always liked the quote from Bobby Kennedy, “Some men see things as they are, and ask why.  I dream of things that never were, and ask why not.”  But I think it comes back to understanding ‘why’ they are as they are.  Then you can make changes.  Because I am always ready for the ‘why not?’

Now, this idea of examining the ‘why’ tends to freak some folks out.  Like my brother with my math.  He would get so frustrated with me, “It just is,” he would tell me.  Don’t look!  Don’t ask!  Just accept!  It is what it is!  That’s why he’s the accountant and I’m the teacher, I guess.  Numbers are finite.  I like the infinite.

So, here’s my question.  In this day of sides and tribalism and, honestly, hatefulness towards those who think differently from us, ‘why’ is it that we’re fixated on other people to give us the answers?

Jesus spent thirty-three years walking this earth, three in ministry and teaching, and I don’t remember one time that he said anything other than, "Look at me. I am the way."  Today, everyone is so intent on their side being right and the other being wrong, but what if we’re ALL wrong?

 

Don’t we have our eyes in the wrong place?  ‘Why’ do we think a stacked Supreme Court (either way) is going to make our world better?  ‘Why’ do we think Congress being one-sided will fix everything? 'Why' do we need a president from our party, not theirs?  ‘Why’ are you just plain wrong, and I am right?

Tell me where Jesus said this was how we were to handle life.

I don’t remember anywhere that Jesus said believers should go to those people in charge to find solutions.  In fact, what I do remember is him saying, when asked, to "give to Caesar what was Caesar’s and give to God what is God’s."  It seems to me there is separation there.

I don’t find in scripture anywhere that Jesus said, “ Here's the plan:  Let’s get more Jews involved in the government and then we’ll have the power.”  Or “If we can only get a majority of those who think like us, then…”

Didn’t he say we are to be in the world, but not of the world?  Didn’t he say his ways were beyond our ways?  And yet, aren’t we trying to make his ways fit our ways?  Isn’t this the very same lesson the Jewish people kept getting wrong throughout the Bible?

Didn’t he say it was really simple…"Love each other and, more than that, love God?"  How does that fit what we’re doing?

How many times did the church kids ask me as we studied the bible stories, “And they just did it again!  Why didn’t they learn?  They mess up.  God punishes them.  God forgives them.  Start over.  'Why' didn’t they learn?”

You know, that’s a very good question.  We have a really good history book that lays it out for us, over and over again, how division and hatred and animosity and vengefulness tore apart the chosen ones time and time again.

'Why' didn't they learn?  That's a very good question.