When a challenging inquiry comes before Moses, he does
something phenomenal: he admits he
doesn’t have the answer.
Zelophehad’s five daughters plead to inherit his estate,
having no brothers. Why should an uncle
or male cousin benefit, and they be left without? The question of female inheritance had never
been raised before. Moses doesn’t know
what to do, so he goes to inquire of God.
In our times, “I don’t know” is not an acceptable response. We expect others – and ourselves – to have
answers on the tip of our tongues at all times.
If a fact is in dispute, we whip out cell phones and look it up. Emails that aren’t returned within 45 minutes
get follow-up-e-mails. The pace leaves
us without time to think or to process.
This leads to thinking that’s shallow, rote, and reactive. Better results come from taking ample time to
noodle.
Next time you get stumped by a tough question, try something
revolutionary: say “I don’t know.”
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