In my line of “work”, there seems to be a lot of questions that are “very important” that need to be answered “right”. Wow that’s a lot of “quotes”!
I put quotes around “work” because to me, my line of work is not work at all. Sure it’s hard sometimes. Sure it takes time and skill for me to do. Sure I get paid for it. But it’s a joy (most of the time!)….but that’s another journal entry for another day.
I put quotes around “very important” because well….are they? Really, what questions are “very important”?
And I put quotes around “right” because over the years I’ve learned a lot about what “right” means to many.
Recently, I’ve been studying Genesis and some of those “very important” questions have come up. Where the 7 days literal days? Where were the dinosaur
s? Is the creation account literal or figurative? Why did God look with favor on Abel and not Cain? Who did Cain marry? (I know…Mrs. Cain!) Who was Cain afraid of? etc. Now, I do have an opinion on these questions, but humility demands that I ask myself if have the “right” answer? Furthermore, how important are these questions and how important is it that I get them right?
I am learning that I have sometimes been guilty of treating all “religious” questions with the same intensity of importance and that this intensity over getting some of the less important questions “right” has many times lead me to miss the most important questions.
For example, some in my circle of followers have argued for years over whether or not it is “legal” to have Bible Classes or not. Some have been so concerned over other believers getting this “very important” question “right”, that they have refused fellowship to those who get it “wrong”. I wonder if this is one of many cases of us making unimportant questions “very important” and requiring that everyone get it “right”. And we didn’t stop with Bible Classes, we also argued over other “very important” things like church signs, carpet, versions of the Bible, number of cups used in the Lord’s supper, when we remember the Lord’s Supper, the order of worship, the types of songs, shaped notes or round, instruments, kitchens, (by the way, I’ve never heard a church argue over whether we should have indoor plumbing…) length of sermons, women’s role, what time Sunday night should meet, if we should meet Sunday night, and so on and so on…..UGH! Are these really the “very important” questions that we must get “right”?
Yes, some matters are “very important”. But some matters are only “very important” because we have said they are, not because they are 
important to God. I pray that God will lead me in such a way, and that I can walk in humility in a way that the questions that I ask and the answers that I seek, truly are “very important”. And, I challenge all who seek Christ, to first seek what was important to him (justice, mercy, love, just to name a few), and let the lesser things stay where they belong.
Father, I praise you for your mercy when I try to make the unimportant important. Help me show that same mercy and love to others. I ask for your Holy Spirit to guide me into the real important questions that I should be asking of You, and of myself. I want to know you more Father. I praise you that you want me to know you!
Your son….