Truth. What about it frightens us so much? We want it when it’s good. We run from it when it’s bad.
As we get closer to Easter we can reflect that God is truth and just as Jesus could not be buried, the truth cannot be buried either. Both God and truth have resurrection power. When we embrace the truth, we embrace God. When we follow the truth, we are following God. Anytime we seek the truth, whether we realize it or not, we are seeking God. God is love. He can never go against that. It would do us well to remember that when we are frightened by the truth. It may be hard, but since God is love and truth, then even hard truths that we become aware of are signs of God‘s great love for us.
I love you! It’s a boy! You’re hired! You won the bid for the house! All these facts are truths we love to give and receive. Even something as simple as, “dinner is ready” can make a hungry one soar with joy.
On the other hand, the truths that are difficult to hear are often difficult to accept. The diagnosis of a serious illness, the death of a loved one, the loss of a dream you worked hard for, a betrayal and finding out you had been believing a lie are all examples of difficult truths to swallow. At times we try to bury them or we refuse to believe what we have discovered. It does us no good, however. As I said before, God is truth and just as God cannot be buried, neither can the truth. It begs to be noticed. The acceptance of the hard truths can be difficult. Acceptance will lead us on a different path, but we can be certain, as difficult as it is, we will not be alone. It is a path that God is sending us on and it is a path of love. It would do us well in these times to remember that God’s loving plans for us are often discovered by the uncovering and the following of the truth.
We are all sinners and there are times when we fall and do things that are wrong. To avoid facing the truth of what we have done, we try to bury it in our subconscious. We can only get away with that for so long. The truth will not be kept down and buried. It will eventually bubble up to the surface. The deeper we try to bury it, the harder is the work to deal with it. How much easier it can be to heal if we are mindful that within the hurt is a God who loves us unconditionally and the fear of looking at the truth is fear of being a part of mutual love. Mutual love? What do I mean by that? In our love for God, we cannot bear to look at what we have done to hurt Him. In His love for us, He desires that we look because when we do, we will find that He is not resurrecting the truth so we can see His anger. He is resurrecting it so we can see His mercy and love. There in the depths of the truth is a mutual love that is stronger than death and just as truth cannot be buried, neither can love, who is God.
Of course, there are times when we know the truth and others refuse to accept it. We may even be attacked for speaking truth. In those times we can take comfort in the truth, in God. We can rest in knowing that the truth will resurrect and never stays buried in the tomb no matter how much man or the devil may try. Easter morning proves that. We can also find comfort in reflecting on the mercy of God. When truth is difficult and one’s emotions are taking over, it is hard to sit back and reflect. Oftentimes people lash out without thinking. It is almost as if God has given them a safety net in those times. When they aren’t thinking straight, instead of attacking truth, who is God, they attack the messenger. Yes. God is in us and we are being attacked, but it is almost as if attacking truth is a direct hit since God is truth. When we are attacked it is almost as if we are taking the greater hit so God doesn’t have to. It is like we are shielding Him. If we were to keep both those reflections in mind when being attacked, we may end up staying calm and being a model of God’s patient mercy…a shield for our neighbor against our anger…while, at the same time, shielding God by defending truth.
God is love. God is truth. Truth is love. Maybe if we remember these points when we are hit with hard truths or we find that we are the messenger of truth, we can better deal with the situation. Our immediate reaction is to treat the hard truths as a foe. If we take a pause, we can see that that foe is really a friend and that friend is God. If we are the messenger, we can then be the model of that very dear and loving friend.
Prayerfully Reflect on the Following:
Can you recall a past hard truth that sent you down a different path that ended up to be filled with love? In looking back, can you now see God’s hand in it?
Were you ever attacked for being a messenger of truth? Can you see that by defending truth you were defending God? Can you see the importance of defending truth, while at the same time being God’s mercy? In the future would it help to think that when people are attacking you for being the messenger, you are shielding God, who is truth, from being directly attacked and, at the same time, being given the opportunity to be His mercy by shielding your neighbor from any attacks that may come from you?
“I am the way, the truth and the life.” John 14:6a
“Children, let us love not in word or speech, but in deed and truth.” 1John 3:18
“And the Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us, and we saw His glory, the glory as of the Father’s only Son, full of grace and truth.” John 1:16
“But when He comes, the Spirit of Truth, He will guide you to all truth.” John 16:13
“And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 32:8
“The Word of God proves true; He is a shield to those who take refuge in him.” Proverbs 30:5
“Assuming that you have heard of Him and were taught in Him, as truth is in Jesus, that you should put away the old self of your former way of life, corrupted through deceitful desires, and be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and put on the new self, created in God’s way in righteousness and holiness of truth.” Ephesians 4:20
“If we say, we are without sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” 1John 1:8