Give Me the Right Answer!

“He portrayed villains and had a deep, distinctive voice,” I offered, searching for the elusive name.

“Basil Rathbone. I know it’s Basil Rathbone,“ insisted my mother-in-law.

“No, I know it’s not him.”

“Boris Karloff,“ suggested my husband.

We were trying to remember who had created the bread pudding recipe for the restaurant where we were enjoying a wonderful meal. I knew who it was. I could even picture his face and hear his voice. His name just escaped me.

The trusty Internet search provided the answer: Vincent Price.

I claimed the victory. “I knew it wasn’t the others, so I win!”

“You don’t win! When did you ever get credit on a test for knowing the answers that weren’t correct?” My husband was adamant. Actually I had taken tests that way… eliminating wrong answers to decide on the correct one. But that was only on a multiple-choice test. He insisted this was a short answer question. No credit!

So many people go through life looking for the answer to “What is life all about?” But if they’ve never really been introduced to the right answer, how would they recognize it in a list of multiple-choice possibilities. Or how would they even recognize the wrong answers?

The world gives lots of suggested answers to the “Life” question: Whatever you make of it. Just go with the flow and enjoy yourself. Get along and don’t create problems for yourself and others. Whatever it takes to make your dreams come true. Be sure you make your best effort to do what is good. Take care of the world and the people you meet.

All of these are wonderful and good answers. But they still miss the point. When I’ve tried to center myself on any of them, I knew something was missing. They were close, but what I pictured in my head, what I felt in my heart and soul was something more.

I could picture the right answer because I knew Who was the right answer. It’s my Lord Jesus. I may not be able to picture His actual face, but I do know His voice, because He was the one who called out to me when I didn’t even know He was the answer.

And when it comes to my relationship with Him, He’s pretty straightforward with His own question: “Who do you say that I am?”

I can hear His comments as I remember why He is what my life is all about. I can hear Him calling out to the world that still is looking for answers, the answer:

“I’m not one of many options. I don’t even belong in the same multiple-choice question. I am unique because I’m the only one who seeks after you. I’m the only one who gives you “life-giving” answers.

“And I am the only one who paid the price for your freedom… your life… your eternity of joy.”

Leaving my guilt at the cross,

Christine