It's okay to question

A buddy of mine was brought up out in the woods, literally, he and his siblings.  The family’s attitude was, “If you don’t finish school or have a good job you’re not going to die.”  That went along with, “If you don’t have sex you’re not going to die.” But you’re not really going to live either. There’s nothing wrong with hunting and gardening to put food on the table.  In fact, it’s a lot healthier than the way most of us feed ourselves these days.  But I question the attitude that intellectual curiosity and spiritual growth are “optional.” When Jesus spoke of the “bread of life” he wasn’t talking about pumpernickel.  He was speaking of living a spiritual life, a life that is connected intimately with our individual understanding of God.  Just as our love for parents or partner grows and changes over time, morphs like the patterns of a kaleidoscope, so too our love and understanding of our creator should develop from new knowledge and new interpretation. Sometimes this life-journey is like work, sometimes it seems almost life-threatening.  But overall it should be pure joy, and we will have life in it.  I think the human soul wants this, and without it loses spirit just like we lose physical energy when we are starving.  It’s okay to question.  It’s okay to speak out our doubts and fears.  That’s how we make room for the shy God who is out there.