Are We Asking the Right Questions?

I was watching a video today about a high school student who, in 2007, raised $6,000 for clean water wells in Africa.

It all started because he had gone to Africa and seen their poverty. During the trip he asked, "How can God allow such anguish?"

However, as he spent more time in Africa, and even after his return, his question changed. It became, "How could God allow us to be so distracted?" and "How could God allow us to be so affluent?"

This started me thinking. How often do we ask the wrong question, and how do we begin to ask the right question.

Consider current events.

Wrong question: "How could God allow that to happen (Katrina, Sandy, Sandy Hook Elementary, Zimmerman/Martin trial, etc.)?"

Right question: "What can I do to show God's love to those affected by ...?"

Consider world poverty.

Wrong question: "How can God allow such anguish?"

Right question: "How can God allow me to be so affluent, yet so distracted?"

Consider war.

Consider ...

You see, so often asking the wrong question removes any blame from us. It allows us to remain apathetic. It allows us to clear our conscience, because it isn't our fault.


But maybe, just maybe, the fact we noticed the issue, involves us to be part of the solution.

Blake chose to use his high school Homecoming tradition of buying the biggest and best corsage to help fund wells in Africa. Rather than parading our vast wealth on our wrist or lapel for one night, why don't we donate the funds we would have spent for a corsage to clean water and wear a button that said "I donated my corsage to Sudan" instead.

And today 10,000 people in two Sudan communities have clean water.

I don't have answers today. Only questions.


But I hope that by asking, I get you thinking.

I hope that the next time you start a question, you stop to consider, "Am I asking the right question?"

And if you are not, find the right question to ask.

Then, once you've asked the right question, take the time to find the right answer.

It is only through asking the right question and finding the answer to that right question that we are able to truly affect good in our world.