How often I view a question as a snare. Once the question is shown, I hear some "answer" coming and fly off to some remote branch of the mind just in case it's simply complicated. When it turns out to be simply profound, I feel relieved and somewhat silly for the way I felt from the question. I never realized it so fully as in tonight's Bible study on Romans taught by Tom Darnell of Midtownfellowship Church.
Romans creates more and more questions as it is studied. Allowing oneself to be questioned on its depths reveals the deep skepticism of my human nature that repeatedly puts itself in the defensive posture of avoidance. Avoidance feels safe yet with a growing discomfort, enough of which to go ahead and listen against one's experiential judgement.
The answers tonight drew one to land in the palm of the Lord's hand in its full view shown through Tom's graceful and compassionate teaching. His answers are simply profound and though not always fully understood, his patience and courage in teaching causes the willingness to understand to grow notwithstanding.
How often this happens in everday conversations in getting to know one another is probably too numerous to count. Trick questions or answers that are a treat? Proverbs 1:17