Yesterday’s news was full of questions:
- Will Boris relax the covid restrictions on 21st June? Should he?
- Should England cricketer Ollie Robinson receive further punishment for racist/sexist tweets made 8 years ago?
- Should Norwich City continue to work with a sponsor that uses adult content on its social media?
- Did the Queen give permission for Harry and Meghan to call their daughter Lillibet?
The trial in Ipswich where one 15-year-old boy shot another 15-year-old boy in the face continues. Yesterday’s question was ‘Why did he take that action?’
In the story of Job the question asked constantly by Job and his friends is: ‘Why is Job suffering?’
The old Roger Whittaker song asks environmental ‘why’ questions about global warming and pollution:
And will the grass be gone from underneath the sky?
Will the golden flower wither soon and die
Will the fire burn out the land
And the sea fill-up with sand?
Will the last word ever spoken be why?
Some years ago a lad whom I had taught tragically died when still a teenager. The minister conducting the funeral reflected on Jesus’ words from the cross: ‘My God, why…?’
The question ‘why?’ is a good tool for reflecting, for clarifying thinking, for looking at possibilities and probabilities. However our rational, scientific heritage sometimes tricks us into believing that there are easy answers to difficult questions, that there are immediate simple answers to the question ‘why?’
I have to accept that there isn’t always an answer to my ‘why?’ questions. Further thought, analysis and worry from myself, or wisdom, understanding and advice from others will not find an answer. I must learn to be content with that.
I return to the Jesus narrative – my example and inspiration. ‘My God why…?’ was followed by ‘Into your hands I commit…’ I’m content to bring my unanswered ‘Why?’ to the all-knowing Father and commit my questions and uncertainties into his loving hands.
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