27 The commander went to Paul and asked, “Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?” “Yes, I am,” he answered.
Sometimes you just have to ask the right question. So often we get an ambiguous response because we make an ambiguous statement. A parent once told me that they told their children to not open the door and go onto the porch. So the child opened the window and went onto the porch. They had to hold in their laughter while they re-explained their expectations. Political polling is about how the question is asked. Polls can make a skunk popular. A shy boy asked his girlfriend, “Would you like a kiss now or at the top of the stairs?” He got his kiss. Those who arrested Paul never bothered asking who he was. They assumed he was the terrorist they had been seeking. As they were getting ready to whip him Paul made his identity as a Roman citizen known, a fact they did not know. The soldiers were about to violate Paul’s rights as a citizen. They finally get around to asking the question they should have started asking a long time before. How we frame our questions can have a great impact on the answers we get. So next time you want to get some quality answers, ask quality questions. Make them clear. Make sure they ask directly for the information you are seeking. Remember the politicians have taken courses in how to avoid answering a question that will embarrass them. They have learned the art of answering while not answering. We need to be straight forward in our questions and answers.
The Arnold Journey 