January 4

1 John 3:7-10; Psalm 98:1-2, 8-10; John 1:35-42

“What do you want?”  

Peter Block stresses the importance of good questions for building community.  Good questions demand engagement: they need to be “ambiguous, personal, and stressful.”  They take us to accountability and commitment, to vulnerability and possibility.

Jesus asks, “What do you want?”  It’s a great question.  It calls for vulnerability, for sharing deep desire.  The disciples don’t do so well with it - they’re still protecting themselves.  They answer, “Where are you staying?”  That’s not what they want, or want to know.  They want abundance of life, meaning, community, hope.  That’s why they’re following John.  Now they want to know why John points at Jesus.  But they aren’t ready to ask.  If they ask, they will be accountable for what they do with the answer.  They will be forced to choose whether or not to follow, even if only down the street.

Block says that questions are more powerful than answers, because answers close doors rather than opening them.  So what is Jesus to do?  His answer is not an answer.  He continues to invite the disciples into choice and commitment: “Come and see.”

Here we are in a new year.  It’s a great time to wonder.  More than a plan, more than resolutions, the beginning of the year calls for good questions.  Soon we will take our winter retreat, and the wondering will gather steam.

What do you want?