Truth

What is truth?

- truth (trooth) - a verified of indisputable fact, proposition, principle, or the like.

With all the crazy adds that were on television here in Texas about Ted Cruz and David Dewhurst, it's hard to determine what is truth.  With all the media in an uproar about Chic-fil-a, it's hard to know what is true and what is not.  And if we weren't in Aurora at the movie theater when the shootings happened then we don't know exactly what happened and we rely on what the news people tell us.  We can choose to listen to what the masses are talking about or we can choose to do our own research and find out exactly what the truth is.  Sometimes we find it and sometimes we don't.

My husband is great at this and since I have him, I generally don't do research myself.  I mean why would I when I have someone who is super intelligent that I live with doing it for me?  However, I have learned that I actually enjoy finding the truth and I really enjoy the discovery process of it.  Truth is not always easy to find.  It can be a journey.

I also think back to growing up.  How many things have our parents taught us that we take as truth?  Or our teachers even?  What have I taught my students in the past that wasn't exactly true, but I thought it was true and so I taught it to them?  A friend of mine, Carol Jones,  posted this on her Facebook this morning about her 2 girls.  Here is how the conversation goes:

Me: (Sitting at restaurant as fajitas are served on skillet) "Girls, do not touch this plate, it will burn your skin off."


Shannay: (appropriately in aww and horror of something that could burn your skin off) "It will burn my skin off?"

Me: (very serious) "Yes, it will."


Long period of appropriate silence as the girls stare at and think about something that would burn your skin off. 


Shannay: "Mama?"Me: "Yes, baby?"Shannay: "What's skin?"


Fail.



I think back to when I was young and I am sure my mom told me not to touch this or that because it was hot and it would burn.  We probably all have stories like that.  However, I am glad sweet Shannay was inquisitive about asking what skin is.  Carol said fail, but I say truth!  I don't really think she means it was a failure.  She is hysterically funny and was trying to teach the girls not to touch the plate because it was hot and in her attempt at doing so the conversation went in an entirely different direction to seek out what skin was.  And before Shannay could understand what her mom was saying about the plate being so hot it would burn her skin off, she needed to know what skin actually is.     


I believe that is what our Christian faith is like.  We don't just start out knowing all about our Lord and Savior, although that would be nice, but we have to come to a point in our own lives and seek truth out.  Church on Sunday mornings help and being involved in a small group or Bible study are great, but having a personal, intimate relationship is where we find truth.

Deuteronomy is the book I am in now.  The Israelites are on the edge of entering the promised land and Moses has already told them he isn't allowed to enter.  He, being a father-like figure whom dearly loves his children, is reviewing all the commands that God has given to them so that they won't forget.  I had a new revelation whilst  reading chapter 6 this morning.  We usually hear the story in Matthew about the disciples asking Jesus which commandment is the greatest.  I also didn't realize, until reading Leviticus, that there are over 300 laws in the old testament.  If I were a disciple and sitting in front of Jesus, I would envision it going something like this:

Me: Jesus, there are so many laws that we have to live by!  You expect us to remember them all and obey them? WOW!

Jesus:  Yes, loved one.

Me:  But if I only had one that I needed to focus on and really do, what would it be?  I mean there has to be a big one or something.

Jesus:  Love the Lord with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.  This is the first and greatest commandment.  The second is like it which says that you should love your neighbor as yourself.  All the law hangs on these two right here.  Strive for these my friend!

Obviously this is a paraphrase from Matthew 22:36-40.  But did you know that this is actually from Deuteronomy 6: 4-6?  I had no idea!  Jesus was quoting scripture from the old testament, which He often did.

The bottom line is that if we want to know truth, then we must seek it out.  Common sense tells us a lot, but when it comes to God's word we must dig until we find truth.  Taking what others say is not always the right answer.  And the way our life is going right now, I am sure people would say we are crazy.  You both don't have jobs and you plan to live on savings?  Yes, yes we do.  Truth is God spoke some very clear words to us and we must obey Him.  We trust that God is going to provide and that we will be safe in His arms where He has called us to be.

Lord, help me to continue to seek out the truth and Your truth.  Help me to speak the truth in love.  Help me to love like You do.  Speak your truths to me.  Amen.