Unlocking God's Word by Asking, "So What?"

“So what?” If someone asked me this question, I’d probably be offended. It sounds snarky, slightly rude, and in your face. Yet I include this question in my list of questions to answer each week in my adult Sunday School class. 

We’ve begun a comprehensive survey of the Bible, studying a book a week until we’ve covered the entire Bible. So far, it’s been a blast. When I prayed about how to approach each book, my training as a newspaper reporter kicked in. Ask the five W’s and an H—Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How. Of course, brilliant! 

Who wrote the book and to whom is it written? What was the main theme? When did the events take place? Where did the events take place? Why did the author write the book? How did the events unfold? 

Looking over my list of questions, I knew I was on the right track to teach the historicity of each book, but something was missing. That’s when I added, “So what?” “Now that I’ve studied the facts of the book, so what? Why does this matter? How should this impact my life?”

“So what?” might just be the most important question at all, because if we read the Bible for information only, it probably won’t change our lives. And we should never leave an encounter with God’s Word unchanged. 

The Bible is a living book, one that has the power to bolster faith, transform people’s hearts, and make us more like Christ. But studying the who, what, when, where, why, and how of Scripture can be more like reading a biography of Lincoln instead of meeting Lincoln himself. It’s only a shadow of everything it could be. 

This is why we must also ask, “So what?” 

Here are a few examples of what this looked like in our study of Genesis: 

FACT: God deliberately created mankind in his image instead of human life spontaneously occurring.  

SO What? My life and the lives of those around me aren’t accidents. They’re part of God’s plan and purpose for the world. Every life matters, because God creates every life. 

FACT: God created Adam and Eve with a free will, even though he knew they’d use it to sin against him. 

SO What? God doesn’t force people to love him. He gives us the ability to choose. 

FACT: God made a promise in Genesis 3:15 that he would send a Redeemer to save mankind from their sin. Thousands of years later, God kept his promise by sending Jesus Christ to die on the cross for the sins of the world. 

SO What? I can trust God to keep his promises in my life as well. 

FACT: God called Abraham to offer his only son as proof of his love for God. Abraham was able to be willing to obey his command because he believed God was a promise-keeping God. 

SO What? Sometimes God calls me to do difficult things. If I truly trust God, I’ll demonstrate my trust by obeying him. 

FACT: God used the unjust circumstances of Joseph’s life to bring deliverance to thousands of people. 

SO What? God can use the difficult circumstances of my life to bring about good in other people’s lives. 

FACT: God placed the infant nation of Israel in the incubator of Egypt so they could grow and begin to establish themselves as a people without interference from dangerous nations. In Egypt, they grew from 70 people to 2.5 million. 

SO What? Similarly, God can orchestrate unlikely situations or circumstances in my life for good. 

Studying the facts of a book gives us vital information to help us understand God’s message. Asking “So what?” helps us apply God’s message to our lives. So the next time you open your Bible to study a passage, I encourage you to learn the who, what, when, where, why, and how of a passage. Then, prayerfully and intentionally, ask God to show you how each passage applies to your life right now. You’ll be amazed at how God’s Word comes alive. 

Now it’s your turn. What is your approach to studying the Scripture, and how has it enhanced your understanding? Leave a comment below and share your insights. If you’re reading by email, CLICK HERE to visit Hungry for God online and leave a comment.

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