"THE POWER OF QUESTIONS"

Scripture: Genesis 3 

 Genesis 3 is the account of the fall of Adam. A major problem has occurred but God does not come to Adam with answers. He comes to Adam with a series of questions. Adam is first challenge to evaluate his condition through questions rather than being pounded with God's rebuke.

We have all heard the quote "give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime." Allow me to expand that concept. "Give a man an answer and you help him for a day. Give a man questions and you help him for a lifetime." Ideas are not created through answers. Ideas are created through questions.

If someone comes to you and ask to borrow money, giving them the money may solve the immediate problem but asking them questions about their work ethics and spending habits may help them for life. Problems are not exposed or even addressed through answers. Problems are exposed through questions. Avoid the temptation of giving the person the question and the answer. Giving them the answer will not cause them to grow. Only questions generate thinking and development.

If you are a person that people often come to for advise you probably think that you are highly effective. In actuality, you have become an enabler. Rather than teaching people to follow your advice and subscribe to your opinions, teach them to answer your questions. Eventually, they will grow to a point that they learn to reach their own conclusions by anticipating the questions that you would have posed. Free yourself and your relationships by learning to equip people with questions rather than answers.  

Oh, by the way, it works the other way too. If you are one who seeks advice, learn to edify yourself by asking yourself the hard, open-ended questions and providing honest answers. Surround yourself with people who ask you questions and watch yourself grow.