As a mom to a small child, I spend a lot of time answering WHY? Why did you have me wear this shirt today? Why do I have to play by myself right now? Why are owls nocturnal? Many of these questions are easy to answer, others have no real answer, and a surprising number of them are truly thought-provoking and lead me to join Charleston in asking, WHY?
Regardless of the questions—whether inconsequential or truly substantial—spending time with Charleston has conditioned me to always be prepared to give an answer. It’s made me more intentional with all of my actions and decisions, because I know there’s a high likelihood of my needing to explain my choices to my deeply inquisitive three-year-old.
No choice in my life has been, or ever will be, bigger than my decision to put my trust in Jesus Christ. A decision such as this one is not made lightly. And, as it affects (or should affect) nearly every aspect of my existence, it’s important that I be prepared to answer why I believe what I believe.
My verse for this month is a reminder to always be growing in my relationship with Christ, thereby deepening my WHY. When I grow more deeply in love with my Lord and Savior, and pursue Him more wholeheartedly, my reason for following Him becomes more clear: as I study the Scriptures, I see the amazing ways that He has proven Himself faithful; as I invite Him into my daily life, and He continuously shows up, my faith is deepened; as I live in community with other believers, and witness God’s work in their lives, I understand their why and become more convicted of my own.
Just knowing why I believe isn’t enough. I also need to be prepared to share my why with others. This requires practice and an alertness to the questions on others’ lips or hearts.
When I do provide an answer, it must be given with kindness, gentleness, respect, grace, love. This is an area where the Church has often gone wrong: we have our answers, and we are frequently unafraid to share them, but we do so in a way that turns nonbelievers away from God rather than towards Him.
Part of “revering Christ as Lord” is having a heart for what matters to Him. And His heart’s desire is that ALL should come to know and love Him, just as I have done. When I solidify my beliefs and am prepared to share them (in ways that are helpful and not harmful) I join Him in accomplishing this Kingdom work.
