Curiosity

The old adage “Curiosity killed the cat,” seems to have come from various places in various forms. But no matter its origins, the curiosity part seems to hold true when it comes to felines. Example: having just stayed in a home with two beautiful ragdoll breed kitties, they fully demonstrated how nosy cats can be. Doing certain exercises in their space (all areas in their vicinity are their space) had them literally joining in (see the cat in the corner) or staring with what seemed to be incredible interest in what I was doing. Entering a room and closing the door was cause for paws under said door to try to knab something that they thought might be of interest or use to them. Finding a crevice or a compromised niche was an apt place for exploration and investigation. However, with nine lives, cats seem to avoid the results of their inquisitiveness. In fact, as per another saying, no matter how chaotic or crazy things become, cats do tend to land on their feet.

Watching cats be cats has me thinking about our curiosity. Oh, not about random things, but about God’s Word and matters of faith. It has caused me to self-assess how interested and probing I have become as a believer. Just where does my curiosity lie when it comes to God’s character, his principles, his thoughts about various world and cultural circumstances, and his attitude toward me as his child and disciple? Do I bother to go past a superficial reading of his Word to delve into the true meaning of what its pages can reveal through the working of his Spirit? Am I interested enough to spend time before him to listen for his voice and enjoy a deeper relationship with him? Is conversation with him a top priority among my daily routines and tasks? In all honesty, I know that I fall short way too often when it comes to my side of the relationship. I do want to acknowledge the fact that in one’s life there are seasons when one becomes busier and time is at a premium, but it is still important to maintain a healthy dose of curiosity for the things of God. To marvel at his wonderful works, and praise and thank him for his goodness and grace should be a regular part of a believer’s life.

In Acts Chapter 8 is found an interesting story about an interested individual. A man who was a royal official in the court of the queen of Ethiopia was in a chariot reading the prophet Isaiah. Philip, one of Jesus’s disciples, was prompted by the Holy Spirit to join this man, and as he sat with him, the man shared what he was reading from Isaiah 53. Curious, the man asked Philip if the prophet was speaking about himself or someone else. “Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this Scripture [Isaiah 53:7] he told him the good news about Jesus. And as they were going along the road they came to some water, and the eunuch said, ‘See, here is water! What prevents me from being baptized?’” (Acts 8:35-36, ESV). As is the story for many people of faith, curiosity led this man to come into a relationship with Jesus. But curiosity should never stop there; it should remain all throughout our lives. Investigation regarding the Lord and the things of God must continue on until we are with him face to face, and then we will “know fully, even as [we] have been fully known” (1 Corinthians 13:12d, ESV).

Curiosity is not just for cats, though they may have cornered the market. It is for those of us who seriously desire an intimate relationship with our God. It is necessary to truly know him and to be able to follow him faithfully. It is our avenue to the greatest understanding of his principles and ways. The more curious we are about him, the better. And in times of chaos and challenge, we will be able to confidently trust him to help us land on our feet.

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