Each of the six men after whom I modeled by ministry and who served as my mentors repeatedly drilled into my mind the significance of asking questions.    Although they each were different in temperament, personality, and style, they all insisted that you could tell a lot about a person based on the questions that they asked—or did not ask.  They were convinced that asking questions was a sign of intelligence, humility, and ambition. 

I am sure that this proposition was proven in their experience (as it has been in mine), but there are a plethora of scriptural anecdotes that further validates its accuracy. Consider one of the most instructive.  When Jesus was only twelve years age, he travelled with his parents to Jerusalem to celebrate the Jewish celebration of the passover. Passover was one of the three annual celebrations (Tabernacles and Pentecost being the other two) that all devout Jews were commanded to celebrate each year. These celebrations were family affairs, and involved massive travel. Some scholars speculate that in New Testament times, more than one million people from various corners of Israel would ascend to Jerusalem.

Luke 2 says that when the celebration had concluded, Jesus deliberately stayed behind and his parents didn’t realize that he was missing until the next day. Understandably alarmed, they hurried back to Jerusalem, fearing for his safely. According to Luke 2:46-47,

Three days later they finally discovered him in the Temple, sitting among the religious teachers, listening to them and asking questions. All who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers.

At twelve, Jesus was conversing with the religious intelligentsia. But he simply wasn’t listening He was asking questions! Questions are a sign of intelligence and humility, and ambition. You can tell  a lot about a person by the questions that they ask—or don’t ask.  Asking the right questions is often more important than having the right answers.

It shouldn’t be surprising then that some of the greatest questions ever asked in scripture were asked by God. In this regard, Jesus was acting just like his Daddy.  Like Father, Like Son!  There are over 3,000 questions in the Bible. I don’t know how many of them God asked (I’m going to count one day), but there are some doozies. One of the best was the question that he once asked Moses—who was complaining that he was unqualified for the task that God had assigned him. After allowing Moses to prattle about his lack of experience, credentials, and credibility, God asked him a simple but devastating question that is captured in Exodus 4:2.  God asked Moses:

What is that in your hand?

God was asking Moses to take inventory. God was asking Moses to quit complaining about what he didn’t have, where he hadn’t been, what he couldn’t do, and what imaginary enemies, obstacles and difficulties lay before him. It was not that any of the aforementioned matters were unimportant. They were just irrelevant. God had already factored those deficiencies into his analysis of the situation and had concluded that Moses still had what it took to get the job done.    All God had to do was convince Moses that Moses could succeed.

Let me remind you today that you have what it takes! You have what it takes to not only to survive, but to thrive. You have the internal and external resources to meet every difficulty, surmount every obstacle, and rise above every challenge.  And as God reminded Moses, who you have is even more important that what you have.  God is on your side!

Take a break from comparing yourself to other people.

Take a break from complaining about what you don;t have, or who you don’t have.

And take a break from criticizing yourself for your past mistakes, missteps, and mishaps.

Instead, take inventory.  According to one definition, an inventory is “a complete listing of merchandise or stock on hand, work in progress, raw materials, finished goods on hand, etc., made each year by a business concern.”  

Taking inventory takes time.  But if you take the time to gather and reflect, you will discover that you have more in your hands than you think.  Do me favor. At some point in the next seven days, sit down with a pencil and notebook and take inventory. Write down everything you have: every talent, gift, skill, experience, lesson, and relationship you have. I guarantee you that the wealth you rediscover will surprise you.

When Moses threw the stick that was in his hand, it became a snake. He had a weapon in his hand and didn’t even know it.  My dear friend, you have an arsenal of weapons at your disposal waiting to be deployed against every challenge that is before you!