Living in the Questions

Jesus' response to Mary's oblique comment about the lack of wine at the wedding of Cana is "Woman, what does this have to do with me?" Mary's response? "Do whatever he tells you." (John 2:4,5) His response to Peter's cryptic question about the future of John's life at the end of the same gospel is "What is that to you? You follow me." (John 21:22)

Woman, what is that to me? Friend, what is that to you? I think my life would be lived in much greater freedom if these questions were inscribed upon the deck of my soul. I am so easily distracted by attempting to dictate what Jesus ought to be up to, and trying to control what my neighbor ought to be thinking, saying or doing.

Everything from what my son ought to be doing his last year of high school to what the church ought to be doing at this point in history churns in my soul with restless regularity. I am my own worst enemy when it comes to living in the kind of peaceful waters that navigate my heart toward the wise responses to these questions: Do whatever He tells you. You follow me.

Perhaps buoyancy, viewed from this direction, could be considered the grace of living in the right questions. When I do so, I find that I have more than enough to keep my heart and both hands fully on deck.