GBC Connections Magazine Term 4 2019

Ask ‘Why?’
Humans are unique in creation in seeking meaning. God has created us with an innate desire to explain things. Children are an excellent example of this feature of human nature. Ask any mother of a 4 year old girl who has to answer an average 390 questions each day! Yet, most of us grow less curious as we grow older.
We live in a society with roots in Christianity. For the most part, there’s been synergy between our culture’s values and those of Christianity. But the gap between Christian values and society’s values is widening. There have been shifts in the fundamental beliefs and worldview of society at large which have resulted in an increasing divergence between values of Christianity and society.
In the past we have not had need to be highly critical of social values. But as these values diverge, the onus is on us to critique our culture, to implement that God-given human inquisitiveness and ask, ‘why?’
​It’s said that you need to ask ‘why?’ five times to get to the root cause of a problem. It turns out the same principle applies to finding the root cause of a behaviour. If we start with a behaviour we’ve observed and repeatedly ask ‘why?’ we will discover the value behind the behaviour, the belief behind the value, and the worldview behind the belief. Everything we do is informed by our worldview, even when we don’t consciously realise it.
There are values and beliefs behind every behaviour. It is axiomatic that people with changed attitudes change their own behaviour. When people understand why they’re doing something they are much better at regulating their own behaviour. So, if we want to see change, or even if we want to take a relationship to the next level, let’s start with asking ‘why?’ and listen to the answer.
You may find common ground you can build on. You may be able to point out inconsistencies in the beliefs and behaviours of others. You may even change your mind!
Be creative in how you ask ‘why?’ Sometimes it doesn’t even take a question. If you reflect back what you’ve heard, i.e. “So you think it’s good that…?” you will likely get a response that effectively answers the question ‘why?’
What other ways can you think of to ask ‘why?’ without asking ‘why?’
It’s good to practise on yourself, too. The more you understand your own behaviours, values and beliefs, the more consistent you will be in applying them and the more confident you will be in explaining them to others.
Let’s equip ourselves to be confident Christians, sure of our beliefs and able to engage the world, by using our God-given inquisitive nature and ask ‘why?’

​Wendy Geerling