Curiosity Is Not A Virtue

Have you ever noticed the particular language in the sign-off of every Wednesday of Wisdom?

It reads “Making The Most Of” before the words “Being Curious.” When I first began writing, I did not realize how important this idea would be, but as I grow older and face many paths before me, my interests begging me to go down each one, I realize it does make a world of difference.

It is a safeguard to my freedom, a protection to my joy, and also fuel for my whimsy. Curiosity is neither vice nor virtue. It is a tool we have been given, and those who learn to use it well will always have a reason to wake up in the morning.

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I recently watched the Odyssey, and for the first time I understood Odysseus not as a hero but as a fool.

In many ways he is courageous; his bravery is clear and undeniable. He is cunning and wise, strategic and intentional, but so often he is also foolishly brash, allowing his curiosity to get the best of him. His thirst for thrills leads him to be trapped in the Cyclops’ den, with many of his men dying as a result. His urge to explore Circe’s island again is reckless and endangers them all. Finally, and most famously, he willingly subjects himself to the Sirens’ song, knowing the pain it would bring him. Odysseus was plagued by his want to know it all.

As I reflected on this realization, I came to the conclusion that we too are much the same; our “need to know” is sometimes so all-consuming that it leads us to do things we never would have otherwise done. It can turn us into people we do not recognize, often putting us and those who trust us in danger… yet we keep doing it.

Pondering this further, it became clear to me that God never calls us to be curious. Many times, it is called out directly. Eve eats of the fruit and humanity falls. Lot’s wife looks back and becomes a pillar of salt. David walks the roof and looks into Bathsheba’s home.

Admittedly, this left me in a precarious position. Not once in Scripture is the word even used, and yet here I was diligently building my life, and this newsletter, around this core belief. This left me seriously considering, “Where do I go from here?” … The only reasonable response? Turn to Scripture once more. The Apostle Paul is kind enough to share the guidance I was needing in his letter to the Philippians, in which he writes:

“Brothers and sisters, continue to think about what is good and worthy of praise. Think about what is true and honorable and right and pure and beautiful and respected.” - Philippians 4:8

If we are going to look for anything, let our inquisitiveness take its place; it should be through this filter. Suddenly it made sense to me. Curiosity is not a vice nor a virtue; it is a tool, and we are called to wield it properly. Paul elaborates some more on the matter in his letter to the Corinthians, stating, “All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful; all things are lawful for me, but not all things edify” (1 Corinthians 10:23). Or, in other words, just because you “can” doesn’t mean you should.

Time and time again in Scripture, we do see God encouraging us to lean into the pursuit of knowledge, but he asks us to know it in a way in which we seek, ask, listen, learn, search, test, discern, grow, and repeat, all oriented toward his goodness, will, and greater purpose.

Many of us may say these actions are the same as being inquisitive, but they are not. Synonyms for curiosity do include good words like wonder and interest, but also concerning traits like nosiness or prying. It’s like a coin with two sides, one pure, the other deceitful.

Some things are better left unexplored. Wisdom is having peace with knowing you do not know it all. It is good to learn and grow in understanding. It is not good to seek out everything, especially that which we have no business discovering.

Again, Paul encourages us to “be wise as to what is good and innocent as to what is evil”! (Romans 16:19)

We should all be cautious with our hunger for more, for it can consume us if we are not careful. This should cause us to pause and wonder: Is our curiosity leading us toward God? Is it right, beautiful, and worthy of praise? Or have we traded the pursuit of peace even in the unknown for the passing pleasure of seeming more informed?

Change is uncomfortable. Uncertainty is scary. We have convinced ourselves that if we only “knew,” then we would somehow be okay. This leads us to choose painful reliabilities over potential uncertainties.

If not careful, this very curiosity will, as some say, “kill the cat,” but when curated and carefully directed, it will lead you closer to God’s goodness as he has intended. And so I will leave you with the words I would have given to Odysseus if I could have shared a few moments with him:

dearest odysseus,
beware the siren’s song.
she sings of secrets and success, but her soul is not with you.
her secrets are seductive,
her ballads are selfish.
while you may not always savor the sweetness of silence,
remember it’s better than slipping into serenades of sins and sorrow.

Wednesdays Of Wisdom (W.O.W)

P.S. From a historical Christian perspective, the church has defined seven heavenly virtues: Prudence, Justice, Fortitude (Courage), Temperance, Faith, Hope, Charity. The first three are the cardinal virtues, meaning all other good things hinge on them, while the last three are theological virtues because their object and purpose are God.

To go further, many also consider the antitheses of the seven deadly sins as practical virtues worth pursuing beyond the already established seven. I’ve listed them below as food for thought.

• Pride → Humility

• Envy → Kindness

• Gluttony → Abstinence / Temperance

• Lust → Chastity

• Wrath → Patience

• Greed → Charity / Liberality

• Sloth → Diligence

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~ Wednesdays Of Wisdom ~