How many exhausted parents can relate to this. A child reaches a certain age- maybe about 3 years old. They begin to ask questions. Why does the sun only shine in the daytime? The parent will patient explain to a child that the earth spins on its axis and the sun sets here so it can rise somewhere else (not exactly sure what the flatearthers use to explain the setting sun to their folks but that's their issue). The child then asks well why does the earth spin. The parent tries to explain that everyone needs some sun, but too much is bad. But why? Well that's the way God made it. But why? Exasperated by this point the parent might say go speak to someone else or look it up in a book or even the dreaded, because I said so.
I think the point of this stage of human development shows a few things. We reach a stage where we are curious how things work. We also realize that by asking questions we get to know one another better. The child is asking questions not just because they want to know, but also in a way to be closer to their care giver. The questions are a vehicle for community as well as knowledge.
When we get older, we sometimes get afraid to ask questions. We don't want to admit that we don't know. We don't want to appear stupid (I should have known that but didn't. We've come to realize that sometimes there are no black and white answers. Or we sometimes thing we know the answer and why ask even though we are not sure. Sometimes we are not sure who to ask- why would this person know any better than I do. Questions become less important as we get older.
A wise old saying says that the older we get, the less we know. And it is true. When I was eighteen, I was sure I knew everything. Now I am certain about very little. I know what I don't know and that is a lot. I know that computers run on codes and programs. However, I still not know how my thoughts get to my fingers to type this blog, how I press a key and magically the words appear on screen. I know my car starts with its key fob- but how does a little piece of plastic in my pocket tell my car's ignition to start. I know how to dial out on my phone but how does my little movements on a thin piece of glass allow me to talk to my friend in Sydney. If ignorance is bliss, then I must be getting happier all the time.
So I don't know much. And maybe that is ok. Because around me are experts. People who have studied. People who have read. People who have experimented. I am not sure why so many people disagree with experts right now. I am not sure why so many people think they know better than anyone else. For me, I will trust the experts, until the experts prove to me that the experts are wrong. Blessings.
