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Question 3
He insisted on reading with a “childlike attitude” that receives God’s Word “even when it doesn’t make sense,” illustrating it with his four-year-old believing toys would “explode”; where do you see yourself demanding “why” before obeying, and how might that requirement be a hidden way of treating God as if He must prove He is “reasonable” before He is trustworthy?
Another way to ask: Where do you refuse to obey God until you get a clear “why”? Could that be a way of saying God must make sense to you before you trust Him?

Direct Answer Finny argues that demanding “why” as a precondition for obedience can expose a proud posture that doubts God’s trustworthiness. A “childlike” posture is humble reception of God’s Word as truth even when we don’t yet understand the reasons.

Support from Transcript:

  • He distinguishes “childlike” from “childish”: not proud, but “very humble.”
  • He says a child “will believe what the parents tell him… even when it doesn’t make sense.”
  • Illustration: he joked, “If you leave your things outside, they’re going to explode,” and his four-year-old was “completely convinced,” showing unquestioning reception.
  • Finny applies the illustration to Scripture: God’s Word “always speaks truth” and we should “simply receive it and believe it.”
  • He admits we often want reasons: “Now, sometimes we want to know why, and we’ll try to get at some whys,” but the first posture should be receptive faith.
  • He connects this to Satan’s strategy: “Did God say?” implies “God is not a reasonable person… and… doesn’t have your best interests at heart.”
Discussion Follow-ups Finny doesn’t forbid asking questions, but he reframes the order: trust first, then seek understanding. In what areas do you reverse that order and only obey once God seems “reasonable” to you?

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