Be Curious
We are focusing on Epiphany so the entire week will use Matthew 2: 1-12 for the scripture lesson
Matthew 2: 1-12
If you’re a fan of the TV series Ted Lasso, you probably remember the episode in which the title character said, “Be curious, not judgmental.” If you aren’t a fan or have never seen the show, you can still appreciate that sentiment. It encourages one to ask questions and seek to understand. It encourages understanding and empathy between people. It encourages letting go of one’s ego and accepting that one may still need to learn.
I think curiosity gets a bad rap. After all, most of us have heard the old adage, “Curiosity killed the cat.” It implies that being too curious – asking too many questions or being excessively inquisitive – can lead to danger. Yet without curiosity, many of the most world-changing discoveries would never have been made. Physician and microbiologist Alexander Fleming noticed that mold killed bacteria in a petri dish, leading to the development of penicillin and other antibiotics to fight bacterial infections.
The Epiphany story offers us another example of how curiosity led to a life-changing discovery. These Magi from the East saw an extraordinary astronomical event and had a choice. They could’ve just said, “Hmm, look at that” and continued about their business. Instead they chose to investigate and ask questions about what this event could mean. People in the ancient Near East commonly understood extraordinary natural events to be omens. These omens were then interpreted by wise individuals. It wasn’t just superstition; it was a sophisticated system of interpretation. To interpret these signs, one must pay attention and actively seek to understand. Paying attention and actively seeking to understand could be a good definition for curiosity.
The Magi observed the star and then wondered what it meant. They may have divined that a new king had been born, as was a common interpretation of celestial events at the time, but they acted on that curiosity. They didn’t assume that they knew everything. They acted on that curiosity and it led them to Christ.
Have you lost your wonder at the world? Or even your wonder of God? Has faith become routine? Do you just assume that you know all there is to know about God? Are you still curious about God?
When we lose our curiosity about God, our faith can become stale and routine. We can lose wonder. There is a link between curiosity and knowledge. Curiosity spurs understanding. It begins one on a journey of deeper knowledge. You may say that the Magi “studied their way to faith.” They watched; they calculated; they acted.
In our faith walks, let us be curious, not judgmental.
Prayer
God of light and mystery, give us the curiosity of the Magi, hearts that seek, eyes that notice, and courage to follow truth wherever it leads. When the path is uncertain, guide us with wonder, humility, and trust. Amen.
Rev. Dana Ezell
