“Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found him about whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus son of Joseph from Nazareth.” Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.” John 1:45-46

“Don’t admit you don’t know something because others may think less of you.” (Dangerous Wonder, Mike Yaconelli)

I imagine we can all think of a time from our youth when a teacher ask a question, and no one raised their hand to provide an answer — even those who were mostly sure they knew the answer. Why? Well, we learn from a young age that it is embarrassing to admit we do not know the answer to a question — so we choose not to try rather than be risky with our quest for knowledge.

I find this particularly true in bible study. I can’t tell you how many times I have asked a question, one I am particularly sure most of the participants know the answer, but the room remains silent because no one wants to risk being wrong. It is maddening to me as a pastor. No matter how much you try to create an atmosphere of “no judgment”, people have been conditioned from a young age not to take the risk.

This is one of the themes of Yaconelli’s section in chapter two called “Daring Faith”. Yaconelli goes on to say: “Children are born with a natural curiosity and built-in daring. It doesn’t take long before our culture explains to them the “inappropriateness” of curiosity in the “real” world, and their naive courage is intimidated out of them.”

Why does Jesus say to his disciples: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven?” He gave this answer when the disciples asked him “Who is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?” It is better to come to faith with wild wonder, an unquenchable thirst for understanding, and a daring to ask “why?” — than to simply shrink into our domes of doubt.

Pastor Dave