“Both hearing them and asking them questions.”
One day, when Jesus was twelve years of age, his parents lost Him. They found Him in the midst of the Teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. It was not surprising that He “increased in wisdom.”
If you don’t know a thing, ask about it. What little Bob doesn’t learn, big Robert won’t understand. There is no better time to ask questions than when you are young. Older people expect children to ask questions, and think nothing of it. But when you grow up, they will think you rude and troublesome, and expect you to know without asking.
But, no doubt, you ask enough questions already. Your father and mother think so, and will not thank me for telling you to ask any more. Well, all I have to say is, Ask the right sort of questions.
Jimmy Ferguson was a peasant’s son. He wanted to know how to read. So he listened to his father teaching his elder brother, and then he asked an old woman to teach him. When he was eight years old, he was very anxious to find out how watches go. His father would never let him have a watch to play with. But one day, a stranger came, and Jimmy asked the time. Then he asked to be allowed to look at the watch.
“What makes that box go round?” said he, after listening to what the stranger told him about the works.
“A steel spring,” answered his tutor.
“But how can a steel spring, shut up in a box, turn it round so as to wind up all the chain?”
The gentleman explained again.
“I don’t see through it yet,” said Jimmy.
“Well, now,” said the other, “take a long thin piece of whalebone, hold one end of it fast between your thumb and fingers, and wind it round them. It will then try to unwind itself, and if you fix it inside a small hoop, it will turn the hoop round, and wind up a thread on the outside.”
“I see it, I see it; thank you very much,” said Jimmy.
Not long after, Jimmy made a wooden clock for himself, which he showed to a man who became very interested in him, and took him into his own house, and encouraged him to go on with the drawing of designs, and the making of models of machinery.
You will not be surprised to hear that Jimmy grew up to be a man of science, a clever designer of machines, and a distinguished astronomer.
A lady, who was walking along a country lane, was astonished at being asked by a boy whom she met, whether he might go with her.
“Certainly,” said she, “if you are going my way.”
Presently his eyes seemed taken up with the trees on either side of the road, as he asked,
“What makes those trees grow?”
“They push down roots into the earth,” said the lady.
“But what makes them grow?” he repeated, laying a heavy weight on the last word.
“They suck up food through the roots;” again began the lady. “You see, there are lots of different ways of growing. Some things grow down only, some grow up, some grow up and down. People only grow up.”
“Not my grandfather,” answered the boy, “he’s grown down a lot this year.”
The lady smiled, and the lad repeated his question, “But what makes them grow?”
“Do you ever ask your mother questions?” said the lady, trying to draw him off from the trees.
“Yes, and mother she says, ‘Stop it, Tommy; wait till your father comes home, and ask him.’”
“And what does your father say?”
“Father? oh, he says nothing mostly. He sits and smokes and smokes, and sometimes he says, ‘Run away, and don’t worry me; ask your teacher.’ But she doesn’t understand what I mean.”
“I expect she understands you all right, little man. But the truth is we none of us know.”
“Oh, well,” said the little fellow, with disappointment in his voice, “if you don’t know, I’m not going any further with you; I’ll run home; good-bye.” And off he went.
You know what a Note of Interrogation is, of course. It is a little crooked thing that asks questions. Be Notes of Interrogation, without being crooked if people cannot tell you all you want to know.
And one question I should like to ask. What are you going to be? Something big? A doctor? A mill owner? An Inventor? A merchant? The more you know, the better you can do your work, whatever it may be. Whether you are going to be a tinker or a tailor, a weaver or a sailor, learn all you have the chance of learning. And remember this, that there is one thing bigger and better than any of these things.
Jesus was found by His parents in a school. He had gone there of His own accord. It was a school in His Father’s house, and He had gone there to learn His Father’s business. When He grew up to be a man, He was going to give Himself to that. Be sure you follow your Heavenly Father’s business; He is busy doing all the good He can. Ask some questions about that.