As I talk to people every day, I ask a lot of what questions…
* What is going on?
* What do you want to do?
* What are your options?
* What would you do to improve this situation, say, 2 to 3 percent?
I’m careful with the why question because people can hear, “Why in the world would you want to do that?” It can be offensive.
But the first question Jesus ever asked Saul (who became the great Apostle Paul) was a why question. “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” (Acts 9 … contains the gripping story of Saul’s conversion.)
God went right for Saul’s jugular. No messing around. “Saul, why are you doing this? Why here? Why now?”
Saul already was deeply involved in overseeing the death of Stephen, a wonderful young disciple of Jesus. (Acts 7-8) And now, armed with letters from the High Priest in Damascus, Saul was on his way to persecute Jesus followers in Damascus, Jerusalem and, well, apparently where ever he could find them.
The man was on a mission to find and destroy followers of Jesus. “Meanwhile, Saul was breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples.” (Acts 9:1) … Wow. Saul’s mission was clear, and it was frightening the Jesus followers.
And yet, God definitely had different, amazing, sovereign plans for Saul. Near Damascus one day, God blinded Saul with a bright light, knocking him to the ground and directly asking him a why question.
Yes, a why question first: “Saul, why do you persecute me?”
God jumped right over the what questions and stuck a “why-question-dagger” directly into Saul’s heart. “Why are you doing this to me?”
Saul immediately responded with a who question. “Who are you, Lord?”
Jesus immediately answered with the truth: “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”
In Acts 9 we read: “The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless. …” Well no kidding! And probably shaking with a whole lot of utter fear and trembling, truth be told.
Now, I’m very interested in what gets we humans to stop dead in our tracks.
What gets your attention? What do you say to get the attention of others? That said, here are 2 crucial what questions:
What would it take to stop you cold in your tracks?
What do you think God may be saying even today to try and get your attention?
You don’t know. Really? Take a big breath. Think about it. What is God saying to you today that is very, very important?
Furthermore, might God perhaps want to use you to get the attention of someone else? What does he want you to say to them?
Does God want you ask a what Question, a how question, or perhaps even a why question?
Bottom line: What is God saying to me, to you today? What are God and I, What are God and you going to do together today to further His work here on planet earth?
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