Martin Wickens

Apparently as a child I would ask that question that many adults fear or tire of, “Why?” I wanted to know the why of everything. One year it got so bad that for Christmas my parents or grandparents bought me one of those mini, children’s encyclopedias. I remember asking the question “why?” very often because I wanted to know the reason. Other times I asked “why?” because I noticed it annoyed people. Perhaps inquisitive and annoying would sum up my behaviour as a child to some degree. Today I still love to ask why, to seek reason and logic in many things.

I suspect I learned this curiosity from my grandfather. Early in his life his father abandoned him and left him in an orphanage. He began life with literally nothing. But by the end of his life he had a loving family, a comfortable home, he had worked successfully in a number of jobs, travelled quite widely but most importantly he also knew something about everything. I do not think I am remembering a grandfather from a grandchild’s point of view, as something almost mythical. He really knew something about everything. Whether recognising the song of a particular bird or knowing the workings of an engine, talking about the history of our country or a geographical fact-my grandfather acquired knowledge. He was a constant student.

Whether I consciously noticed his behaviour and started to copy him, or whether our temperaments are similar at a deeper level I do not know. But I do know I like to learn and ask why.

For many reasons I enjoyed working in management at a supermarket in England and Northern Ireland for a while. One reason being that we constantly had to ask “Why?” Why does this product sell but not this one? Why are items more often shoplifted here rather than on that aisle? Why do people spend more money on a Saturday than on a Tuesday? Why people shop at Asda when Tesco is clearly superior? 😉

This tendency to analyse and ask “why” can be good but also bad. Such as the times I lay awake at night analysing conversations I had had that day. Or overanalysing a problem and coming up with obscure solutions due to looking into something too deeply.

Here are a few “why” questions I want you to consider:

• Why would Jesus die on the cross if your own actions could save you?
• Why do people believe the Bible?
• Why does it make a difference if you believe the Bible or not?
• Why do I delay trusting Christ?
• Why do I gamble that things will all work out in the end?

If you know Christ as your Saviour then here are a few “why” questions for you:

• Why do you not search the Scriptures and have a desire to grow and learn?
• Why do I not pray more?
• Why do I not tell others about Christ more?
• Why do some older Christians sharply rebuke the younger when they ask “why”?
• Why do we resist all change instead of analysing each change on its on basis?

Do not be afraid to ask why more often, about everything!