Welcome to day 29 of our 40 day challenge! Today, are in John 7

(You can catch up on our Intro, Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 4, Day 5, Day 6, Day 7, Day 8, Day 9, Day 10, Day 11, Day 12, Day 13, Day 14, Day 15, Day 16, Day 17, Day 18, Day 19, Day 20, Day 21, Day 22, Day 23, Day 24, Day 25, Day 26, Day 27, Day 28 if you missed them)

John 8:12-20

¹² When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

¹³ The Pharisees challenged him, “Here you are, appearing as your own witness; your testimony is not valid.”

¹⁴ Jesus answered, “Even if I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is valid, for I know where I came from and where I am going. But you have no idea where I come from or where I am going. ¹⁵ You judge by human standards; I pass judgment on no one. ¹⁶ But if I do judge, my decisions are true, because I am not alone. I stand with the Father, who sent me. ¹⁷ In your own Law it is written that the testimony of two witnesses is true. ¹⁸ I am one who testifies for myself; my other witness is the Father, who sent me.”

¹⁹ Then they asked him, “Where is your father?”

“You do not know me or my Father,” Jesus replied. “If you knew me, you would know my Father also.” ²⁰ He spoke these words while teaching in the temple courts near the place where the offerings were put. Yet no one seized him, because his hour had not yet come.

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If you knew me, you would know my Father also.

The Pharisees ask Jesus about His witness, where is your father? They think their challenge is successful because they don’t acknowledge Jesus’s witness. But in doing so, they’ve proved His point. They don’t know the Father. If they knew His Father, they’d know Him.

The Pharisees show us that you can be an expert in your religion and not know God at all. Some heard the voice of love and grace, and instead of interest and curiosity, they were defensive. Knowing all the rules didn’t help them to know God. If they knew the Father, the Father would have led them to know the Son. If they knew the Son, they’d know the Father.

And so they ask Jesus a question, but it’s not from curiosity or a genuine desire for knowledge. They are trying to put Jesus on the defensive. The Pharisees ask Jesus questions as a trap.

When the Lord asks us a question, it’s a genuine question, but it isn’t because He lacks information. It’s because He’s helping us think and get clarity. One of our previous 40-Day challenges really focused me on the questions the Lord asks in the Bible. And I began collecting them. Jesus asks more questions than He answers, often answering with another question. But it’s never a trap or a trick. Jesus asks us questions to help us.

Curiosity, and the questions that come from it, are one of the main ways we learn and grow. And answering the questions the Lord asks helps us do that. Good questions also lead to good conversations, understanding, and better relationships. Curiosity is also one of the most important traits to have in relationships, with the Lord and with each other.

So I’ve become kind of obsessed with questions, not only those in the Bible but also in day-to-day life. You can tell a lot about people from the questions they do or don’t ask, and one of the best ways to learn to think better is by learning to ask better questions.  I’ve found that good listeners tend to ask good questions, and this is true of the Lord as well!

The Pharisees aren’t genuinely curious. They’ve already made up their minds. They have heaps of knowledge that puffs up but lack love. And so their questions aren’t sincere. Their questions are snares that only end up turning back on themselves. Their lives could have been transformed if they had only approached the Lord with curiosity rather than defensiveness.

And that’s a good lesson for us today as well. It’s hard to take offense or stand in pride and ego while remaining curious.

Our relationship with the Lord, and with others, will improve dramatically if we approach others with curiosity rather than defensiveness and learn to ask good questions. Curiosity is essential to our learning, growth, and relationships.

Options for further  journaling or discussion throughout the challenge:

• Choose a part of the passage to write out by hand. Writing by hand helps us slow down and focus on what the Lord might highlight for us in the passage. Our brains can focus and remember better by writing than just reading alone.
• Journal about what the passage brings to mind. Does the passage tell us anything about God? Does it tell us anything about our response to Him?
• Does your heart respond in gratitude to any part of the passage? Write or pray your gratitude to the Lord.

We’ll see you tomorrow for Day 30, continuing in John 8

♥ Samantha