People I Learn From part 2 of 6

Dr. Hustand--Question Everything

I had this great mentor in college.  Little did I know he would alter my entire life.  I walked into Theology I as a freshman in college having known Jesus for only about 9 months I knew this class would be interesting.  But what was really the interesting part was the professor who took notice into my life.  Dr. Arnold Hustad.

A man who loved Nebraska football, Play Station, his wife & theology.  About every other week I'd sit in his office asking him questions about Philosophy, Theology, Psychology, the Scriptures, dating, relationships and through it all HE NEVER ANSWERED ANYTHING!!  The man was an expert at dodging my search for answers by forcing me to think deeper.  I'll remember him saying one time "Why  NOT question everything?"  And it hit me, Questions are a great way to learn who you really are.

So it began, the ability for me to question an area of life deeper with more thought & care than i was originally giving to it.

By my senior year we had developed a good friendship, some inside jokes and a lot of office time.  And what really shocked me was the day I asked a question and he answered it.  It took 4 years for him to do that, but what he said to me after he gave me a straight forward answer will always be a fond memory I have.  Dr. Hustad said, "You've learned to think for yourself deeper and more broad so I know you won't just copy my answer".  That my friends was one of the greatest compliment I've ever been given.

I owe a lot of my development as a young adult in college to Dr. Hustad and with much gratitude I made it into his commencement speech to our graduating class.  He actually made fun of me in that speech but it was worth it.  It was worth the time sitting in his office being forced to think.  It was worth the time asking questions out loud with a man who had a great deal of life experience I could glean from.  It was worth being vulnerable enough to ask random questions.

To this day I still use some of the learning tools Dr Hustad imparted to me.  Questions.

Questions are powerful resources you have at your disposal to be sure that what you think is as important as how you are thinking.  I often wonder what life would be like if I still had Dr Hustad to sit with a time or two a month to talk about anything & everything.

I pray my sons have their own Dr Hustad in their life at the right moment to help them know how to QUESTION EVERYTHING.