LEARNING FROM CONTRA-QUESTIONING

LEARNING FROM CONTRA-QUESTIONING

Tuesday, September 06, 2016

Matthew 5:43-48 "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

  I liked Mr. Vince Hanley, our North Harford High School history teacher. It wasn’t just that he showed we boys his terrible battle scars received while serving in Sherman tanks under “blood & guts” General George Smith Patton Jr. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_S._Patton ) during WWII. He didn’t just do the memorize dates bit, he made me think. His favorite saying was “The only thing we learn from history is that we don’t learn from history.” Another of his provocative tools was the contra-question. An example is “Don’t ask ‘Why war?’, ask ‘Why peace?’” – a style of questioning I beneficially continued all my life. (It even worked in trouble-shooting equipment, asking “What makes it work?” instead of “Why isn’t it working?”) Contra-questioning is useful in studying God’s Word.

  Focusing on “Why peace?” instead of “Why war?”, yes, but also by reversing the standard “Why do bad things happen to good people?”, asking “Why do good things happen to bad people?” in order to see both sides of the issue many have.

  In the middle of teaching on perfect love as recorded in Matthew chapter 5 Jesus gives us a common reason: It is a matter of God’s grace. The sun shines on people whether good or evil. Using Strong’s to check the Greek we see that the rain falls on both the innocent righteous in holy character and action and the wicked treacherous unrighteous heathen.

  To further understand:

·         Showers of blessing, crop enriching, fall on both the Christian and non-Christian farmer, rancher, gardener, turf business owner, et al.

·         Inundating downpours destroy the lives, property, homes, treasured photos, croplands etc. of both Christian and non-Christian.

  When Mount Saint Helens erupted in “its major 1980 eruption, the deadliest and most economically destructive volcanic event in the history of the United States.[2] Fifty-seven people were killed; 250 homes, 47 bridges, 15 miles (24 km) of railways, and 185 miles (298 km) of highway were destroyed.” (Wikipedia) . . . did the hot ash, deadly gases, and avalanche of debris fall only on the non-Christian people and homes? It did not.

  Please do acquire Mr. Hanley’s method of question in reverse. It is beneficial and you’ll be surprised at the knowledge and resultant understanding you will get.

  And never forget Jesus’ main point recorded by Matthew, perfect love is never without grace.

EBB4