Somewhere along the line, curiosity got a bad reputation. Curiosity killed the cat. Curiosity led Pandora to open a box full of misery.
But, I think this is a good time to embrace curiosity. Curiosity, I would argue is an excellent antidote to uncertainty and fear.
Celeste Ng is a novelist who wrote Little Fires Everywhere and Everything I Never Told You. Her family motto is “Be kind, be curious, be helpful.” Her son can’t figure out why curious is in the mix. She told him:
Because being curious is admitting that you don’t know, but also that you want to know. . . . that people you don’t know are worth knowing, that they have something to teach you. That learning about them—that encountering new ideas—doesn’t threaten you, it enriches you. . . . That you approach the world as a trove of things to take in, rather than things you frantically, fearfully wall out.
I am a big fan of curiosity. Especially now. This Sunday I am preaching on curiosity as a spiritual discipline and leading a zoom class on the same topic. Because curiosity keeps us open and wondering and less likely to judge and/or shut down. I believe that right now, God is calling us to be curious.
What are you curious about?
Where do you go to satisfy your curiosity?
How might God be calling us to be curious these days?
Let us know in the comments.
–Written by Amy Miracle
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I go to music for curiosity. I am constantly learning new ways of approaching songwriting and recording. I go to social media for curiosity, specifically accounts that are directly related to other cultures, races, and ethnicities, so I can learn more about their perspectives. Curiosity can help us flex and grow our empathy muscles.
Amy,
Thank you for this blog! Even as we get older, curiosity remains important to our intellectual and spiritual well being. It is essential!
Curiosity is how we stay vibrant! Never quit learning and life will never be boring! Be kind. Be curious. Be helpful. What a great, succinct message and lesson.
Amy, you are spot on, Curiosity is a vitally important attribute today. I, too, believe God wants us to be curious today. There are so many incredible, almost unimaginable, things reported on the news, o n web sites, and even word of mouth these days. My curiosity is driven by my desire to form opinions based on facts. Sometimes horrific events are not quite so terrible once you learn more about the event. E.g., George Floyd. And, unfortunately, some are. (Think Cannon Hinnant.) I think if one is going to form an opinion about anything, one should have sufficient curiosity and gumption to get the facts.
I am curious, what did you learn about the George Floyd event that was “not quite so terrible?”