and the truth will set you free;
and if the Son of God sets you free,
you will be free indeed.
I tell you this that you
might have faith to believe,
and be transformed."
--Jesus
A co-worker was relating an incident in a grocery store: She was trying to make eye contact with two young children and
get them to smile. Suddenly, the mother, a woman who seemed to be middle eastern, noticed what she was doing and hurriedly pushed her children away. In telling me the story she concluded that it was obvious this woman had been treated poorly by Americans! As surprised as she was at the woman's response to her attempts at friendliness, I was shocked at her conclusion. When I suggested that maybe her culture raised the woman to be fearful, my friend scoffed at the notion.
My question then is what is the truth? Are Americans more or less like my co-worker who took it upon herself to bring a little cheer into the lives of children? Or are Americans more or less likely to bully foreigners in our midst? Answering these is important because it gets to the heart of what Jesus is saying: what a man believes is true impacts the actions he takes. The actions he takes reflects whether he is free to do right things or is enslaved to brutish behavior.
"What is Truth?" That haunting question posed by Pontius Pilate, the representative of the world's most powerful military/political system to Jesus hours before his brutal death, is at the heart of the life and death struggle facing humanity today.
As it has throughout the history of mankind, political expediency and correctness crushes its competition.
But out of the corruption and decay of this sordid world order, Jesus -the Truth- triumphantly arose.
In Me
In Jesus we have the Living Example of the benefits of truth: transformational freedom and resurrection power!
In Jesus we can live free from the deceptive, polarizing, demonizing and organizing forces squeezing the world into its mold.
In Jesus we know that love and forgiveness are the ultimate
weapons to conquer the stubborn, fearful human heart!
In Jesus we have the confidence that obedience to his word results in a deeper understanding of the truth of things.
In Jesus we can, with courage and compassion, face difficulties whether personal or public.
In Jesus we live to help set people free by fearlessly speaking the Truth in love knowing that, in spite of cultural influences masking brutal evil, people are capable of recognizing and responding to truth. And love.
Speak Truth. Be Free.
"What is Truth?" That haunting question posed by Pontius Pilate, the representative of the world's most powerful military/political system to Jesus hours before his brutal death, is at the heart of the life and death struggle facing humanity today.
As it has throughout the history of mankind, political expediency and correctness crushes its competition.
But out of the corruption and decay of this sordid world order, Jesus -the Truth- triumphantly arose.
In Me
In Jesus we have the Living Example of the benefits of truth: transformational freedom and resurrection power!
In Jesus we can live free from the deceptive, polarizing, demonizing and organizing forces squeezing the world into its mold.
In Jesus we know that love and forgiveness are the ultimate
In Jesus we have the confidence that obedience to his word results in a deeper understanding of the truth of things.
In Jesus we can, with courage and compassion, face difficulties whether personal or public.
In Jesus we live to help set people free by fearlessly speaking the Truth in love knowing that, in spite of cultural influences masking brutal evil, people are capable of recognizing and responding to truth. And love.
Speak Truth. Be Free.
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Comments are welcome. You can post them here or send me an email: clyon2msu@gmail.com. Thanks for reading, hope you are encouraged, blessed, challenged and grow stronger in your faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Charlie