Leaning into Holy Curiosity
Life lately seems to be getting busier and busier. Things are moving faster and faster. And I felt that stress and frenetic movement all throughout Holy Week, the week between Palm Sunday and Easter. There was so much to do; stopping to reflect seemed both impossible and more important than ever.
I can’t help but wonder if the busyness of our lives contributes to a desire for certainty and a lack of curiosity. When we’re preoccupied and busy, we don’t have time to slow down and really interrogate an idea. We have less bandwidth to sit down and wrestle with really hard things. Instead, we want simple, easy, clear-cut solutions. But I think life is a bit more messy than that.
More and more, I believe that faith really blooms when we are able to slow down enough to pay attention. When we give ourselves the space to be curious and carefully consider ideas. There’s so much beauty to be found when we can take a chapter or even a verse in the Bible slowly, bit by bit, in order to discover something new about God and ourselves.
When I was reflecting on Jesus’ journey to the cross, one particular passage stood out to me, though I’ve read it more times than I can count.
“As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and at once you will find a donkey tied there, with her colt by her. Untie them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, say that the Lord needs them, and he will send them right away.”
This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet:
“Say to Daughter Zion,
‘See, your king comes to you,
gentle and riding on a donkey,
and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’”
Matthew 21:1-5 (NIV)
If you’ve been in church for any length of time, you’re aware of this passage. What really stood out to me this time was this prophecy. It’s so specific, as were the many other prophecies that Jesus fulfilled during his ministry on earth.
There was a mountain of evidence that Jesus was the Messiah, the Christ. And yet, those who seemed to know the Law and the Prophets the best absolutely missed it. They missed the Messiah, who was standing right in front of them.
This passage makes me wonder where I am missing Jesus. What parts of the Bible am I understanding incorrectly? Are there areas where I’ve lost my curiosity about who God is?
God is bigger, more complex, and more beautiful than I think we will ever be able to imagine. God is glorious and awe-inspiring. I believe that God is consistently inviting us to engage our curiosity as we seek him.
May we not be like the Pharisees who shut off curiosity in favor of comfort, power, and influence. Instead, let’s be those courageous ones who are willing to stay curious and humble, always seeking to discover more of the beauty of Christ.
It reminds me of this passage from Theologizin’ Bigger by Trey Ferguson:
We can be known for humility and curiosity. We can be associated with friendship and our commitment to the wholeness and well-being of those we share space with. We are free to choose different ways of showing up.
This week, let’s look for opportunities to stay curious! Who knows what we may discover along the way!