Jesus tackles the tough questions

I am a parent of four children under the age of 8. Among other things, this means that from the moment I wake up, to the moment the last child falls asleep, I am being bombarded with questions. It seems like the questions never stop. If you answer one question, there’s two or three more right behind it. Most of the questions are pretty easy to answer, like, “Can I have something to eat?” or “What day is it today?” But sometimes they get tricky. For example, “Which is more powerful, a black bear or a bison?” And occasionally the questions are almost impossible to answer, like when my daughter asks, “Why did grandma die?”

One of the things I love most about Jesus is that he doesn’t hide from the tough questions. I think we have this idea that Christianity can’t stand up to the scrutiny of the modern world. We think of it as a quaint relic of the past that is unable to deal with the difficult questions of today. But Jesus doesn’t back down from questions, no matter how hard. In fact, he invites them. In the last days before his crucifixion, Jesus spent much of his time answering difficult questions. Many of the questions Jesus responds to are hostile as his enemies try to trap him in his words so that they can arrest him. Although his enemies are attacking him with all of these questions, Jesus answers his questioners graciously. And I say graciously intentionally, because his answers are all full of grace. For, while his opponents are looking to destroy him, Jesus instead takes the opportunity to tell them, and anyone else who will listen, about God. For example, in response to some questions in Mark 12, Jesus shows us God’s perspective on polarizing politics (sound familiar) and explains just how wonderful the resurrection will be before telling everyone that the best way to live our lives is by loving God and loving each other. He takes these difficult questions and fills us in on the bigger perspective of what God is doing in the world.

Are you wrestling with a tough question? I invite you to bring your question to one of the many wonderful churches we have here in the Columbia Basin. While pastors don’t have all the answers we can help point you to the one who does.

The column was written on behalf of the Moses Lake Christian Ministerial Association.