Today you are free, even encouraged, to ask a “stupid question.” Why? Because it’s “Ask a Stupid Question Day,” a day that teachers in the 1980s created to get students to ask more questions. I wonder if some teachers are now warning, “Be careful what you wish for?”
In my job, I sometimes think every day is “Ask a Stupid Question Day.” I work with graduate students and try to help them keep their research on track. They ask, “Have you got a minute? I have a quick question for you.”
“My students think my name is ‘Google,'” I tell my husband. I fantasize about one day replying to their statement, “I have a quick question” with “Sorry, I am only answering long questions today.”
I remind myself that most of the time, I do have the answer. Or at least we can figure out the problem together. All the students appreciate my answers—especially when they turn out to be right.
Disciples asked some frustrating questions
Consider some of the questions the disciples asked Jesus. We think, “How could they not know what he is talking about?” Even Jesus got frustrated.
In Mark 4, they didn’t understand the parable of the sower. Jesus asked them, “Do you not understand this parable? Then how will you understand all the parables?”
We need to cut the disciples some slack. We get to study the Bible. The disciples were learning on the job—kind of like my graduate students. What happens when you get an odd (or even “stupid”) question about Women of the ELCA or your synodical women’s organization or even your unit? Maybe it’s one you feel you have answered over and over. Why don’t all women know who and what we are?
Remember, we have been part of this community of women for a while. We have the experience and knowledge. Take the time to share your knowledge. If you need answers, you can likely find them here.
What is your favorite Women of the ELCA question? Do you have a “stupid” question you have been waiting to ask? Today is the day.
Jody Smiley is president of the Virginia Synodical Women’s Organization, an analytical chemist at Virginia Tech, and a member of St. Michael Lutheran Church in Blacksburg, Va. This blog first ran on September 28, 2015.
Image by Dean Moriarty from Pixabay
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Is it possible for a woman who is a member of a congregation that does not have Women of the ELCA unit be a member of Women of the ELCA?
Good question! Women of the ELCA is designed to be congregationally-based. The “members” of the organization are actually the congregational units. When women are in a congregation without a unit, a couple of options exist. The first would be for a unit to be created in that congregation. It’s fairly easy to do and doesn’t take a crowd of women. The other option would be for a woman to participate in a congregational unit at a neighboring congregation. If you don’t know whether neighboring congregations have units, we could put you in touch with your synodical president who would know which congregations have active units of Women of the ELCA.
Ok, I’ll go first! Very new Christian, feel like I’ve come home, all on fire – can’t find a church home in my country. There is no real equivalent to the joy and peace I felt in ELCIC/Episcopal church services in Canada. And I feel like my soul is telling me (or God, I’m just used to using the word soul because I’m late to the party! it’s not really coming from inside me) that moving to another country, the other side of the world, leaving everything behind me, to join a church that feels like home even though I was literally just passing through, is something I need to find a way to do. So the question – is this even a legitimate thing to be considering? Or should I be looking around a bit more sharply for influences I should not listen to because sensible me and peer pressure tells me this is a bit, well, excessive 🙂 A nice long question for you and many thanks for opening a space to ask it.
Discerning a call–whether it’s to take a new job, follow a passion or move to another country–is always best accomplished in community. Sharing the sense of call with others and receiving feedback from those one trusts allows the strength and appropriateness of a call to be tested over a period of time, with prayer and mutual support. Consider pulling together a small group of Christian friends who can meet with you to assist in this process.