God’s Gift of Curiosity
Written by: Rev. Dr. Scott Paczkowski
“Now among those who went up to worship at the feast were some Greeks. So these came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and asked him, ‘Sir, we wish to see Jesus.’””
In the last week, we had an Easter event at church. Families came, with everyone socially distanced and masked. Families came at intervals so as not to get close to one another. Despite the precautions, it was renewing to see the families again. I loved getting reunited with the kids again and watching them enjoy being in church. I had almost forgotten the sheer joy in their curiosity. There were five or six different activities in different parts of the church, Everything from miniature golf with plastic eggs instead of golf balls, to story time, to petting baby chicks, and much more. Each one was alive with anticipation.
Curiosity is a Divine gift. Curiosity expands horizons and is even fundamental to the human race surviving and even thriving in its evolutionary process. Curiosity further enhances one’s desire for God. We humans wonder about the Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer of all life. The act of wonder is central to developing and sustaining faith in God.
Markham Heid, in his article “Curiosity Is the Secret to a Happy Life,” points out the challenge of sustaining curiosity when childhood is past. “But as people age, their reservoirs of curiosity tend to dry up. Studies have found that, on average, a person’s openness to new experiences and new sensations declines steadily with age. At the same time, apathy increases. While plenty of older adults buck these trends, there’s some truth to the cliché of the narrow-minded, novelty-averse fogey who rigidly adheres to his time-worn routines and opinions.” The older we get; the more God is calling us to renew our childlike curiosity.
Today, pray for God to continue to nurture your sense of holy curiosity. God is continually offering new experiences. The challenge is to stave off apathy by listening to God’s call. A calling isn’t always a demand for you to fulfill tasks. Sometimes a calling can be fun and even exciting. Seek the curiosity, and God will bring you moments of excitement and even joy.
