“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.” (Matthew 7:7 NIV)
At a recent Tutoring Ministry session, after eating his snack during the time where the mentors allow the children to eat some snacks and have a refreshing drink, a first grader, a bright young boy, went to wash his hands before the mentoring segment of the session started. He goes into the bathroom of the Education Center and turns on the water. You could hear the water when it started to run and being quickly turned off. The first grader walks into the main meeting room where everyone is sitting. He enters, walking at a fast pace, holding his hands extended outward and with his dripping palms turned over upwards. He does not run in complaining. He does not run in crying and griping. He does not show any elevation in his emotion. He did not ask, “Why did this happen to me?” He simply asked a question, “Why is the water brown?” We did not have an answer except that the bathroom water had not been run for a couple of months. The mentors did not know. All they could do was speculate, guess why the water was brown. One of the mentors took on the role of being a very present help, took him in the kitchen and cleaned his hands, ensuring they were sanitized.
As a side note, this first-grader has an inquisitive nature. He asks questions that one would not typically pose until later in their formal education; in classes such as mechanical technology, biology, or geography. When he gets an answer, he learns he is willing to share his knowledge with others. Another side note, during the mentoring session, this first-grader was using terms such as “reverse psychology” and “integrity.” Smart kid, right?
The answer to that last question is, “Yes.” But here are a few major takeaways from this true story about the young lad who asked, “Why is the water brown.” Look at what we can learn from him. First: Be willing to seek knowledge and gain understanding. Second: Know that there is nothing wrong in seeking to know “why” when you need an answer. Smart people, inventors, scientist throughout history speak to that point. Third: Don’t get all bent out of shape when things don’t go as you expect. Just remain calm, cool, and collective. Never panic. Fourth: Look to persons and/or the Person (God), who can help you find the answers to your questions. Fifth: Share your acquired knowledge with others, especially your biblical knowledge.
Jesus encourages us to ask questions. You read the opening verse. The writer of Proverbs also had something to say about seeking knowledge. Read the closing verse. Have a beautiful day! Be blessed!
“The mind of the prudent [always] acquires knowledge, and the ear of the wise [always] seeks knowledge.” (Proverbs 18:15 The Amplified Bible)
Committed to the climb,
Mark L. King