Maturity Of A Three Year Old

This past week I led a discussion on core convictions. While this particular conversation was about the core convictions within a community, it got me thinking about how we as individuals develop our own convictions.

A conviction is defined as a “fixed or firm belief.” This often is the result of being “convinced” of something. Hmm…convinced.

Just last night I was with an amazing group of people who are leaving for Zambia next week to train local teachers and build a playground for a village of orphan kids. As we were sharing our thoughts and concerns, a common theme shone through. Many of us admitted to having questions or doubts regarding family, work and faith. I often find that when I question large life issues, it has less to do with what I’m questioning and more to do with that I’m questioning at all. It seems like somewhere along the way I, and perhaps we, have been taught that we should get to a place where we are so convinced of our beliefs that we stop asking questions. That in some way the absence of questions is a sign of maturity.

Kids have an insatiable curiosity. A three year old probably asks 100 times more questions each day than a 30 year old asks. Perhaps as adults we forget how to ask questions and that when questions arise, we don’t know how to emotionally handle them.

While sitting in this circle a thought popped into my head. God is not afraid of our questions or doubts. Why would God be? Instead, we are encouraged to ask, seek and knock.

I don’t know how much in life I’m convinced of, but I am convinced that I want to ask questions like a three year old rather than a 30 year old. This would probably be a step toward true maturity.

Connection

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about how connected the world is. It seems everyday a news story highlights this reality. A recently read about a teenage girl who sent more than 40,000 text messages in a month (unfortunately for her parents and her college fund, she didn’t have an unlimited text plan!). That isn’t even close to the world record of 217,000 texts in one month by two grown (and married!) Pennsylvania men. And who can help but laugh at the race between Ashton Kutcher and CNN for one million followers on Twitter, which both have long since passed? Twitter, Facebook, Blogs, Skype and hundreds of lesser known sites give us instant access to millions of potential friends and followers. At any time, I can learn what a friend in Australia is eating for dinner, that another is stuck in traffic on the 405 and yet another is tired of the rain in Seattle. If I’m so inclined (or is it narcissistic?) I can let the world know that I’m drinking slightly burnt Gold Coast roast coffee from Starbucks while I write this. Whoops, I guess I just did didn’t I?...

There is something profound about all of this. I think what Social Networking and SMS are confirming is that people have a deep longing to be connected. Humanity has been created for relationship. However, it seems like the world is becoming simultaneously more connected and disconnected. It’s increasingly common for people to air out their dirty laundry or share huge life events through status updates or text messages rather in person. Millions of people have thousands of friends online, yet the world is growing ever lonelier. A recent study revealed that 25% of Americans have zero confidants. It has become easy to be socially networked while living in social isolation.

I write this not as a cynic, but as one who loves to take advantage of new ways to interact with friends around the world. It is amazing to talk face to face with friends on other continents, even if it is over a computer screen. My hope is that this resurrected blog will allow you to learn more about me and vice versa. Let’s interact, have a conversation. Hopefully we can all use these tools as just that, tools that allow us to fill our longing for relationship. And maybe somewhere along the way we can meet up face to face for coffee (hopefully not burnt!) along the way.