In studying for these devotionals, I often learn something I never knew. Such was the case today. Let me set this up.
My two youngest grandkids are local which means we are able to have them at the house for extended periods of time and enjoy them on a regular basis. Their ages are three and four. And they have a favorite word: Why? Now, this isn’t a belligerent why. It’s a curiosity why. Here’s an example.
While at the campground, we take the kids in the golf cart and go “deer hunting.” Really, it’s just deer looking as we try to find deer in the woods or in the fields. We went down a trail and I said, “It looks like there’s no deer today.” Why? “Well, it’s probably too hot.” Why? “Because, it’s a really hot day (then I told them the temperature).” Why? “I don’t know why it’s hot but maybe the deer don’t like to be out in the heat.” Why? “Because it’s hot and they are covered in fur. That’s got to make them feel hotter.“ Why? At this point, I’ve changed the topic just a bit. “They’ll probably be out later tonight.” Why? “Because it will be cooler.” Why? “Temperatures drop and the deer are more comfortable.” Why? “They just are.” Why?
As we are riding, there is a couple that sits out on their deck and the kids look forward to seeing them. They call them “their best friends.” On this particular day, the couple wasn’t out. Why? Again, the barrage of the dreaded one-word question never stopped! Why? Why? Why?
Have you ever been there? You love them to death but that singular question that repeats on a loop makes your head hurt after a while! There’s no ignoring it because they assume you didn’t hear and will ask again.
Do I say any of this to fault or ridicule them? Absolutely not. They are doing what kids have done for perhaps millennia. And for the same period of time, parents, grandparents, teachers, and others have been exhausted by the question. Now, in preparation for this
devotional, here’s what I learned.
“Around age 2 or 3, kids’ brains start making new connections at lightning speed. They’re piecing together how the world works—and once they learn that adults can give them the information they want on demand, they lean into it.
“Asking “why” helps them link cause and effect—something they start learning at a very young age. It’s their way of saying, “Wait, so if this happens, does that mean that will too?” Every answer you give builds another block in their mental Lego tower.
“Kids are genuinely trying to understand the world, and your explanations give them comfort. Think about it: for most people, when they know what’s coming next, they’ll often feel less anxious. The same goes for kids. By asking “why,” they’re learning how to predict what happens in their ever-expanding little universe; this helps them feel safer and more confident.
“Sometimes, “why” isn’t really about the answer at all. It’s about sharing excitement. If your child spots a butterfly and asks, “Why is it orange?”, they might already have a theory. But really, they’re saying, “Hey, I noticed this cool thing, will you notice it with me?”1
I wish I had known this while raising my kids! This explains a lot. It’s not juvenile obnoxiousness or that they love the sound of their own voice. A child is asking someone they know and trust why. Their curiosity about the world around them ought to excite us.
Experts suggest that when the child asks those questions, we could help their curiosity and imagination by asking what they think the answer is to their question. And don’t be afraid to say, “I don’t know.” But what you could do is follow it with something they would love. “Grandpa, why do the deer stay in the woods when it’s hot?” “I don’t know but let’s find out together!” Then, you could do a child-level search. These days, it’s simple. “Hey Google, why do the deer stay in the woods when it’s hot?” I tried this and here is what Google told me:
Deer seek the woods when it’s hot for shade and cooler temperatures, conserving energy by moving less during the day. They often bed down in dense cover or near water to help keep cool.
And Google is not exasperated by us asking why?
Consider what James 1:5-6 has to say. “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. (6) But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.”
Let me be careful to point something out. We can ask God why? all day long provided our desire is to gain wisdom and understanding of His doings. However, if our why? is really like saying “How could you? How dare you?” then that kind of why? is sinful.
If we are truly seeking wisdom, God never tires of us asking for it and asking why? He wants to answer our questions. What better curiosity could we have than to wonder at the feet of the Creator of all?!?
Jeremiah 33:2-3 encourages us to ask. Let’s take this passage to heart! “Thus saith the LORD the maker thereof, the LORD that formed it, to establish it; the LORD is his name; (3) Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.”
1https://www.mentalfloss.com/science/psychology/why-little-kids-ask-why
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