Every once in a while I like to ask children to jot down their questions about God. I have come to believe strongly, from evidence such as this, of children's capacity. They are not empty vessels waiting for us to fill them. They are active brains consistently making theories about what goes on in the world. Their capacity to analyze, synthesize and think critically does not begin at age 12 as Piaget postulated in his lockstep theory of cognitive development but rather from a very young age, perhaps as early as twelve months, they are conceptualizing what they see, hear, taste, touch and smell into logical theories. Lerner theorized that development is a unique, integrative process drawing from spiraling experiences and relationships.
It helps to listen to their questions not only to catch where their miscalculations might be but also to know where awe and wonder will grasp their attention and motivate them to listen, experience and learn! We did it just this past Sunday. Here are some questions from one small group of fourth grade girls:
Questions about Physical How
How would it be like when you destroy the earth to make a new one?
How did Jesus come to like again?
How did you make food and live?
How did you appear?
Why did God make dinosaurs?
Theological Questions from Biblical Word
Who made God?
Why did you create us? Why did God make humans?
Why did Jesus come back to life?
Why is Sunday special and church?
Deeply Social-Spiritual Analytical Questions
Why did God make us different?
Why did my baby cousin have to leave the world? Why did my grandpa have to leave the world when my mom gave birth to me?
Why are people mean?
Why do good people have bad luck?
Why do bad people have good luck?
How come if you know what is going to happen (bad things), why don't you stop it from happening?
I find it humorous to contemplate why God made humans -- I sense He questions that decision rather frequently! I know I would if I were Him -- but He is so much more loving and tolerant than I!
I find it intriguing that the one girl asked not only why bad things happen to good people -- something we often try to address with kids --- but also why good things happen to bad people! This is complex thinking!
Our first tendency as adults, I have found, is to immediately try to answer their questions. I propose we must take a different approach. First ask the children, "Why do you think that happens?" Then let other chime in with their theories. We can always encourage them to think about what the Bible might say in this respect. Only as a last resort should be "give the answer." I say this partly because until we hear their theory, we only know half of what they are contemplating --- children generally have a theory before they ask a question but want to hear the adult response before they go out on a limb and risk saying a wrong answer out loud. Also, because until we hear their theory, we may not know the depth of their understanding and share too simplistic an answer. Also, in their theory, it is often more obvious what "error" they might have in their analysis. For example, the great question, "Why did God make us different?" could get us into the Tower of Babel and ya-di-ya-di-ya. Their theory might be more in line with the question about "Why are people mean?" or
I sense it also helps children for us not to give definite answers. We could certainly launch into a discussion of free will with the question about why don't you stop bad things from happening. I think help children more by having them think about where they could get an answer to their question. Reading the Bible, contemplating, asking others, not just one person but several, discerning people who know the Bible well for example, will all be tools they can use with future difficult questions.
Great thinkers, and I would suggest, great believers, ask great questions. Let's build great thinking and believing within the children we serve. Child discipleship is not simple, it IS rocket science!
