Soul Scientist

Daddy taught me to ask questions and to ask them with compassion while desiring to help others in the doing, Mother taught me to listen and to listen carefully and closely. She modelled that careful listening is a gift to others which shows them love and respect.

Together, both Mother and Daddy taught me the value of critical thinking. To clarify, they taught me not to think critically about the person speaking. As importantly, they instructed me in the essential need for me to assess that what someone is saying is indeed “the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.”

Truth is 100% true. That is. truth is all true, or it’s a lie.

They taught me to think like Paul tells all of us to do in Philippians 4:8 ESV Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

With all that in mind, Daddy is a very big fan of the book of Proverbs. Many folks now have “an app for that” on their phone or computer for whatever challenge is in front of them. In contrast, Daddy’s always had “a proverb for that” in his mind, for most conversations or presentations I’ve heard from him. Daddy imparts wisdom and guidance with proverbs spoken in truth and in bunches of love, too.

On that note, I think the following verse is appropriate for today’s focus on the importance of asking questions, in our conversations and our classes, in our writing and our work, and in our prayers and participation with others. Proverbs 18:17 ERV says this: The first person to speak always seems right until someone comes and asks the right questions.

The essence and the truth of that proverb is spot-on for most any type of encounter we experience with others. The polarizing climate of our culture and our churches, our media and messages every single day prompt an even greater need for critical thinking with careful listening and sincere questioning more than ever before.

Moreover, this polarizing climate should motivate us to believe and rely on the truth that only God’s answers are fully wise, true, and able to stand up to whatever question anyone could ask.

We can see this principle in Scripture with Job, Paul, David, Peter, Solomon, Moses, and others who asked question after question of God about the world, their lives, and the people around them. God often responded to them with questions of His own that peeled back a veil of their own misconceptions about the truth of Him and their humility, His wisdom and their self-worth, and His power and their perseverance.

As importantly, Jesus perfectly modelled best use of the tool of questioning in His interactions with disciples and undevoted Pharisees and Sadducees, alike. Jesus’ words, highlighted in red in the Bible of my childhood, definitely warrant a special kind of listening, studying, and applying to my life today.

Please come back next week for part 2 of asking questions. And while you’re here, please make sure and invite others to come and join in asking questions, too. There’s always room for more questions and the desire for knowing Jesus deeper as the Yes and Amen answer to every one of God’s promises.

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written by and copyrighted to Beth Madison, Ph.D., 2026.