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Dear San Marco Church Family: “Curiosity killed the cat” is an old saying that warns against unnecessary investigation or experimentation. The original form of the proverb was “care killed the cat” where care was defined as “worry” or “sorrow for others.” While the phrase could be interpreted to mean “mind your own business”, I believe that our Christian faith encourages curiosity as a means to bless others and to avoid judgment. Jesus reminded us in the Sermon on the Mount to “judge not, lest ye be judged.” What Jesus was condemning is the self-righteous, condescending judgment that defines others based upon their worst days. I believe that healthy curiosity is the best antidote to our tendency to become judgmental. I invite you to try exercising your curiosity the next time you become judgmental. Instead of thinking about someone’s mistakes and poor decisions, ask some questions about that person’s life story. Maybe they have overcome great obstacles to get to this point in life. Maybe they have wonderful gifts and graces to be celebrated if only we can get past our judgments. As we ask questions and learn more about each other, we can identify God’s redemptive work in our lives. Curiosity is also a great tool to remind people that God cares about their lives. Think about the last time someone showed genuine interest about your life. How did the curiosity make you feel? When the questions are genuine and sincere, I find such questions affirming. It is a way of saying to others, “Your life story is interesting and it matters to me.” While it may be true that curiosity got the cat in trouble in the old proverb, for us humans curiosity may be a helpful antidote to our worst tendencies. So the next time you encounter someone struggling, let your curiosity take the place of any judgments or indifference. As followers of Jesus, we are called to love each other. Being curious is a virtuous way to love others and I encourage you to try it today. I’ll be curious to see what you discover. I look forward to seeing you in worship Sunday at San Marco Church, in person or online. Pastor Steve Hart
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