Can I Ask You a Question?

By: Maggie Morrison

Over the past year, I have been discipled by someone who asks better questions than anyone I’ve ever come across. At the beginning of our relationship, these questions felt intense to me. This woman was digging in deep! But, these questions also made me feel heard, and ultimately pointed me to Jesus. Until recently, I have viewed these questions as a part of who she is, but now, God has revealed to me that these questions are a part of who HE is. If we are to model Jesus’ ministry on earth, we have got to learn to ask better questions! Jesus asked questions often and freely and many times for the purpose of piercing the hearts of people. Jesus was bold in pursuing people through questions. When we read about Jesus’ encounters with people, what we see Him repeatedly do is ask a question that reveals who they are and then follow up by revealing who HE is. Jesus asked questions that provoked the listener to the thought of their own need.

John 4:7-10 NIV states:

When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, “Will you give me a drink?” (His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.)

The Samaritan woman said to him, “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?” (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.)

Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.”  This conversation then led directly into the fact that this woman had five husbands, and she was an outcast in her society. This was the pivotal moment when the woman recognized her need, and Jesus was positioned to reveal His true identity as the Messiah. We see here how His ability to ask the right question allowed Him to move the focus of the conversation from the woman’s sin to the hope of Jesus.  Good questions, just as Jesus modeled time and time again, allow us to realign our focus back to God. Good questions reveal our hearts and allow for transformation to occur.  Jesus asked 307 questions throughout the Gospels, which was 307 opportunities to turn the heart of man back to God. This gives us 307 reasons to model the ultimate Master of questions.  Do your questions offer living water? 

God, teach us how to ask powerful questions and prepare our hearts for what may come with an honest answer.