Why ask why?

Asking questions seems to be fundamental to the human experience. I seem to recall my developmental psychology professor telling the class pre-schoolers can ask more than four hundred “Why” questions a day; a statistic I can easily believe.

Being asked questions can be irritating but it can also be illuminating. When someone asks you why you do something, sometimes you realize you don’t really know. “Why do I wear a tie?” “Why do we drive on a particular side of the road?” Sometimes asking why opens up a larger question yet. “Why do some people think [fill in the blank] are inferior?”

Our Hebrews passage for this Sunday has a list of things we should do: be hospitable, be empathetic, be faithful, be content, and more . . . but why? The sermon title for this Sunday was “Why do these things?” It’s a question worth asking.

As it turns out there is a three level answer to the question:

1. they are good for us
2. they help us become the person we want to become
3. they identify us as followers of Jesus

Let me know if you think I made a good enough case.

“Why do these things?” Knox Presbyterian (to download, right click and select “Save Link As . . .”)

“Why do these things?” St. Mark’s Presbyterian (to download, right click and select “Save Link As . . .”)

Blessings,