Ask The Wrong Question: Hear What You Want
By: Mark Alyabyev
Several years back I used to work in sales—selling various appliances such as fridges, washers, and dryers. From the time the customer walked into the door, my job was to sell them the product, the accompanying warranty, and the store credit card. My income was a percentage of the amount I could sell. In other words–the more money the customer spent, the more money I made. Often after showing them the product, I would ask them, “Would you like to pay with credit or debit?” Ideally the customer would then start thinking of how they were going to pay instead of whether or not they should buy the item.
The Scribes, Sadducees, and Pharisees came to Jesus and asked Him tricky questions. His options to answer were seemingly limited by the way they phrased the questions. “Is it right for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?” Manipulative questions are meant to invoke limited answers. The scribes, elders, and teachers asked questions that would promote their agenda.
When you come to God, do you want to hear what He really has to say into your life? Maybe you come with a question that already predetermines the “answer” you will get. You might hear what you want, but it won’t have a firm foundation under it. Come to God with an open mind, ready to receive His message without any biases or preconceptions. You may just see the world in a different light. The unfiltered “light” of God.
“The scribes and the chief priests sought to lay hands on Him at that very hour, for they perceived that He had told this parable against them, but they feared the people. So they watched Him and sent spies, who pretended to be sincere, that they might catch Him in something He said, so as to deliver Him up to the authority and jurisdiction of the governor. So they asked Him, “Teacher, we know that You speak and teach rightly, and show no partiality, but truly teach the way of God. Is it lawful for us to give tribute to Caesar, or not?” (Luke 20:19-22)