Hearing the tragic news that Kobe Bryant, his daughter, and seven other passengers died in a helicopter crash yesterday was devastating.

The sports world was especially shocked when learning that one of their greatest athletes to ever put on a uniform was gone. I, personally, had a hard time grasping such a heartbreaking reality.

Kobe Bryant has been one of my favorite players since I was a kid. I just loved watching him play basketball. His number 24 jersey is displayed on a chair in my man cave and his number 8 jersey is hung from the ceiling in my office.

Although I’ve enjoyed hearing all of the stories about his life and the legacy he’s left behind, I have an overwhelming feeling of sadness for his wife and three daughters.

A tragic accident like this fills us with questions that start with how and why. What’s interesting about those two words is that they were commonly used by Kobe as he demonstrated the admirable trait of curiosity.

ESPN’s Rachel Nichols shared yesterday that he was “relentlessly curious.” Mike Wilbon explained how Kobe always asked him questions about his time covering Michael Jordan.

Kobe was known to be a learner who wanted to discover ways to improve and grow. He wanted to know how and why things were done and the processes people used to be successful on and off the court.

Last year, Frank Isola wrote an article for The Athletic which included comments made by Kobe describing his mindset and approach to becoming great at basketball:

“The curiosity. Curiosity. Most players that play the game will just play it. Certain things will happen, some may be good, some may be bad. I don’t know. That wasn’t good enough for me. I want to know why.

“When I watch Tiny (Archibald) play, when I watch (Michael) Jordan play, when I watch Magic (Johnson) or Hakeem (Olajuwon) it wasn’t good enough just to watch them make a move. I wanted to slow it down, rewind it, (and) figure out why it worked. What was the timing? What was the angle? What could the defender have done better to stop that move?

“It was a constant search to try to figure out how to get better. Losing to the Celtics in ’08 wasn’t good enough to say, ‘They were a better team, we lost.’ No. Why did we lose? What could I have done better? I think it’s that constant curiosity that will separate you, I think.”

As we remember Kobe and look back at his life and career, I’m inspired to focus on the word “curiosity” because I believe it’s something we should pursue in our own lives.

When we humbly realize we’re flawed, don’t have all the answers, and have a lot of room to grow, then we’ll have a willingness to search and ask questions. We’ll actively pursue knowledge and wisdom and discover ways to improve.

I think curiosity is valuable when it comes to relationships, as well. It leads us to ask people questions about how they do the things they do…and why they are the way they are. This shows us how we can best serve them and bring value to their lives, and that we have an interest in them.

Curiosity is also a trait we should implement as followers of Jesus. Of course, there will always be elements of God and His plan that we’ll never fully understand, but at the same time, He reveals so much to us in His Word that He wants us to know.

Deuteronomy 29:29 (ESV) says, “The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.”

Curiosity leads us to a pursuit of knowledge about His character, about His Word, and about His revealed plan for us. We want to always be learning from the Bible and from those with more experience and wisdom who can teach us.

The key is, we have to have a willing and curious heart. Proverbs 12:1 (TLB) says, “To learn, you must want to be taught. To refuse reproof is stupid.”

When the apostle Paul was preaching and teaching in Greece, Acts 17:21 (ESV) tells us, “Now all the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there would spend their time in nothing except telling or hearing something new.”

Today, let’s allow our curiosity to drive us to know more about people by asking them how and why.

Let it also ignite a passion in us to know God more deeply and His Word more intimately, so we grow more mature and learn ways to improve and change.

Here’s to Kobe and his curiosity…thanks for the memories!

I’m Bryce Johnson and you can UNPACK that!

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, I pray that I’d be filled with wonder and curiosity as I pursue You. I want to know more and more about You and Your Word. Help me be interested in people and learn from them and about them. Thank you for everything You’ve already revealed to me. In Jesus’ name, I pray, Amen.

Discussion Questions for PACKS:

1. What are you most curious about in life?

2. How would you like to be more curious?