Asking Questions The Right Way

~ The first thing this morning was about asking questions.  There is a good way and a bad way. This takes discernment. Discernment means slowing down and thinking about what and why you are going to ask something.  This is exactly what James is talking about being slow to speak and quick to hear.

This 'ask questions' is part of my gift.  I saw it in action in college. When a class went stagnant, and it was too quiet, and the professor became uncomfortable as if no one was paying attention, I often would ask one single question.  This timely question would prompt life into the classroom again. The
professor could answer my question, and then his answer prompted other students to ask deeper questions.  It was a God thing.  I did not realize this at the time. This is an example of a good way of asking a question.  One thing about this type of question. It did not come by the spirit of obligation. It came through the spirit of compassion.  Everyone was edified. The teacher was edified, the students and myself also.

An example of a bad question.  When you are in a setting that you feel you must remain in, and began to feel an obligation to say something, like an icebreaker of the silence, this comes by a wrong spirit.  The key word is obligation or feeling pressured to say something.  An example of this might be like a professor or some administrator asking a person or group of people a straight forward question.  The moment you do not know the answer, or no one in the class knows the answer, the atmosphere begins to change into a very strained atmosphere.  If no one answers then the pressure can build up.  Sometimes in this type of setting someone will answer with something they don't know.  Immediately the instructor is now armed with your lack of intelligence matched against his intelligence.  But, if you can find peace in the fact that you just do not know, then you can remain the equal.  This type of thing happens all the time.  Still, not all instances are bad. But some can rise to a dictatorial type control.

Sometimes, to break the silence, we can ask a simple question that we already know the answer to. If you examine this scenario close enough you will be able to see very quickly who the head is and who has become the tail.  Asking simple questions can boost another person's ego.  Or ... asking a person a simple question might show that you are interested in them and what they are all about.

Asking questions can be a blessing or can be your curse.  Be wise.





~ ~ I Believe! ~ ~