2 minute read.
Daily Reading: Judges 7:1-8:17 ESV, Luke 23:13-43 ESV, Psalm 97:1-98:9 ESV, Proverbs 14:7-8 ESV
Daily Verse: “and said to them, “You brought me this man as one who was misleading the people. And after examining him before you, behold, I did not find this man guilty of any of your charges against him.” (Luke 23:14 ESV)
ANAKRINO (350): “Scrutinize, investigate, interrogate, determine. As a verb, means ‘to judge,’ and sometimes has the meaning to ask a question.”[i]
Investigative scrutiny.
Pilate, talking to the religious leaders, shared his conclusions about Jesus; He did nothing wrong. After questioning him, Pilate could find no fault with the King of Jews. Innocent but condemned by man, Pilate had no choice but to deliver Jesus to the people.
Have you ever wrongly convicted someone? I have. Instead of asking questions, I made conclusions. Wrong assumptions damaged relationships in my life, some beyond repair. We live in a quick-to-judge world; we all fall prey to it. Instead of seeking answers, we create false narratives and accept them as truth.
Ask questions.
Recently, I watched a docuseries about a fallen pastor. In a video clip, he challenged his congregation to read the Bible for themselves, don’t trust him at face value. Unfortunately, the young pastor struggled with fame and fortune, as many do, leading to his demise. But his words ring true.
In today’s world, people don’t ask enough questions. Following Jesus makes you realize, He mastered the art of questioning. When challenged, Jesus often answers the question with a question, forcing the other person to think.
Instead of making assumptions, ask questions. Talk to God about the things that don’t make sense in this world, seek His word for answers. When someone gives you advice, view it through the lens of scripture. Does it align with what God’s word says? If not, you might want to ask more questions.
Our limited view skews our perspective. Ask questions to get the complete picture.
[i] Strong, J., & Strong, J. (2010). The New Strong’s expanded exhaustive concordance of the Bible. Greek Dictionary of the New Testament (p.21) Thomas Nelson
