ASK BEFORE YOU ANSWER

LUKE 10:26 NKJ 
26 He said to him, “What is written in the law? What is your reading of it?” 

This is another great example of Jesus turning the tables on the person trying to test or trap Him.   

It seems as if Jesus rarely answered a question directly but would often answer a question with a question.  By doing this, answering with a question, Jesus would get down to the crux of the matter and expose the attempts to trap Him.   

This lawyer really wanted to know who his neighbor was.  Armed with this knowledge he could eliminate people and still stay within the confines of the law.  But Jesus located him with questions and then answered him in a way that probably made this lawyer wish he had never asked.   

APPLICATION 

This is a great way to handle people with a hidden agenda.  Often their "question" is not really the question.   

When we were in our early years as a church, I made some wrong decisions regarding staff and wound up with some individuals that tested my Christianity and my sanity.  One of their favorite questions was, "what is your vision?"  I used to answer that in a straight forward manner until I learned that wasn't what they wanted to know.   They knew our vision, didn't like it and were looking for an opening to insert their own vision.  So instead of answering that question if asked, I asked them how do you see it?  That will usually get us to the real issue.   

So instead of answering people you suspect are trying to trap you, think of what you can ask them.  This works well with theological issues.  A good question for people who question you is, "What does God's word say?  How do you interpret that?" 

Don't feel compelled to answer everyone, especially if you do not report to them.  Ask before you answer.