Category: Truth

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Words Matter

Jesus was confronted by the Pharisees and teachers of the law. They tried cornering him. They pointed their judgmental finger at him and his disciples, accusing them of breaking their longtime standard of washing hands before eating a meal. They weren’t concerned with sanitation and germs, but holiness expressed in a traditional practice. Their created rule to wash hands before eating was an attempt to keep people holy before God.

Jesus wasn’t buying what they were selling. He pushed back. First, he accused the religious leaders of breaking God’s law commanding (adult) children to honor their parents. They were all in for their own rules but failed to keep the important rules. Secondly, he made a profound statement that it is not what goes into a person’s mouth that makes them unholy, but what comes out.

The pig and the pork entering the mouth do not make a person unclean before God. Instead, it’s the words and phrases that exit the mouth that do. The anger words. The sensual words. The lying words. The hypocritical words. The fraudulent words. The hateful words. The manipulative words. The racist words. The shaming words. The slanderous words. The dehumanizing words. The divisive words. The evil words that rise from the heart and pass over the lips spoken by the tongue are the words that reveal our true self. And let’s be honest, it’s not very attractive.

Words matter.

What we say matters.
Ask anyone who has been hurt by a spoken lie,|
Or has experienced a broken promise.
Words matter.

Words carry weight.
Ask anyone who has been bullied and verbally abused,
Or anyone who has been in a meeting when the person with the power stymies all
forward progress by words chosen to intimidate others;
Words matter.

Words are not without meaning.
Ask anyone who knows a second language,
Or anyone who had to defend themselves by saying, “That’s what I said, but not what I meant;”
Words Matter.

The pen is mightier than the sword.
Ask anyone who has been trashed on social media,
Or has a paper returned from the teacher highlighted in red;
Words Matter.

Words will never harm me.
Ask anyone whose husband has told her, “I don’t love you anymore,”
Or that child whose classmate insults him for the “umpteenth” time;
Words matter.

We live in a time when words are overused, filled with cliches, drowned out by the noise around us, and have often lost meaning. Like truth, it feels like words can convey anything we want them to say. Thus, words struggle to take root in the heart of people as they bounce off the heart like a superball ricocheting off the street. We find ourselves dismissive of the words spoken to us for if we heard it once, we’ve heard it all before. Didn’t Solomon once say himself, “Nothing is new under the sun.” Maybe so.

Words matter.

The Bible is filled with words. In a society that is shaped visually and where attention span is as long as goldfish’s memory, God’s Word contains over 700,000 words. That is a lot of words. In the middle of those words, we find Psalm 119:105, “Your word is a lamp to my feet, and a light for my path.” The Psalmist believes that God’s word, Scripture, will help guide the reader through life clearly and safely.

Sprinkled throughout the Old Testament like seasoning, we find the phrase, “The word of the Lord.” One hundred times this phrase will surface to make the reader cause to pause. Sometimes the phrase signifies that God is communicating information or insight to a person. Other times, it is used to signify the validity of the prophet’s spoken word.

The Gospel of John opens his Jesus story by drawing the reader back to Genesis 1, “In the beginning.” This time, though, John tells us that it is the Word who was with God, and in fact was God from the beginning. The very Word of God who called the universe into existence is the Word that now dwells among us in the form of Jesus. John writes in wonder if his readers will heed such Word or turn a deaf ear.

James, who was Jesus’s brother and an important leader in the Jerusalem Church, speaks to the words we use. Unlike animals, our words have never been tamed. We speak sweet praises to God while poisonous words ooze from our mouths against those made in the image of God. James shakes his head because mixing streams of fresh and salt waters are incompatible and may even be combustible.

In Exodus 20 Moses comes down from Mt. Sinai with two tablets, tablets known as The Ten Commandments. That title was coined late from the Bishop’s Bible (C.E. 1568) which the King James Bible picked up on to popularize. The Hebrews called them the 10 Words. 10 Words. And the nineth word in that list addresses words directly: “Thou shalt not bear false witness against your neighbor.” At the core of the Hebrew moral and ethical law is the use of our words. You do not lie and make up stories or accusations against someone or a people for any reason. For any reason. The Hebrews bearing a false witness is criminal. Our American word, perjury, hardly does this justice.

Words matter.  

Let me tell you a story about a local enterprise,
There’s one in every town, no matter what its size;
It doesn’t bring a profit or bring any revenue,
It’s good for one thing and that’s the damage it will do,
It’s called, The Rumor Mill.

The people who work there are all volunteers,
Their only qualification is a mouth and two big ears;
If the story’s not clear enough, that OK,
They’ll just doctor it up and then send it on its way;
It doesn’t matter who’s involved or who is gonna hurt,
As long as folks are listening, they’ll keep shoveling dirt
At the The Rumor Mill.

The Rumor Mill (And you’re manufacturing lies)
The Rumor Mill (The truth is disguised)
The Rumor Mill (Where reputations are crushed)
The Rumor Mill (Where nothing is untouched)
If it can be twisted, you can be sure that it will,
‘cause there ain’t nothin sacred,
At the Rumor Mill.

Now listen, my children, to this warning I make,
We’ve got a lot to lose, there’s a lot here at stake.
The Bible plainly states you’re gonna reap what you sow,
And you’ll be shown mercy by the mercy you show.
So shut your mouth and ask your friends to kindly do the same,
For you’ll end up as a victim with no one else to blame
At the Rumor Mill.

Words matter.

While I was at home caring for my mother, the hospice chaplain came to visit. Since he and I were in the same profession, we got off to the side to talk shop. He told me that his whole approach to his hospice chaplaincy changed when a patient said something to him. She looked at him and said, “Why haven’t you given me any words of hope?”

I questioned what I have been doing for the past three years. Have I used words to bring hope to my patients? Preachers tend to use a lot of words. We say something, but do we say anything worthwhile? Do we use our words to offer hope, or are they empty phrases filled with filler notes or cliches, or worse, negative words that lead to despair? Moving forward, how will I engage with my patients so that I will be more intentional with words of hope?

Words matter.

Billy Graham was a no-nonsense preacher. Stadiums overflowed as he proclaimed words of warning and salvation to the audience. His credibility and crafting of words led thousands to the alter in dedication or rededication, and prime-time television showcased his crusades. When Billy Graham spoke, people listened.

Martin Luther King, Jr. painted pictures with the words he uttered. Where Bob Ross used paint, paint brush, and a canvas to bring something to life, King used his poetic phraseology. The finished product of his words ignited a flame that swept through America known as the Civil Rights Movement. Mind you, how beautiful his words were, they were often hard to swallow. Even today, some sixty years later, his words are still hard to hear and just as hard to swallow.

Words from the mouth of Hitler is another verse. Fueling the hatred for the Jews, they were called unmentionable names in order to blame and scapegoat them for their nation’s problems. Hitler’s words dehumanized the Jewish people, making it easier to view them as less than human. If they weren’t real humans and part of society’s problems, then it would be that much easier to remove them like an exterminator removes mice and roaches. Hitler’s words tapped into Germany’s fear and ignited a hatred that led to the extermination of six million people. The only thing worse than Hitler’s words are the words spoken by the Holocaust deniers.

Words matter.

One day a woman was caught in the very act of adultery. The intimacy was exposed for all to see. As her accusers were dragging her through the streets leaving her dignity behind, Hank Williams was playing loud and clear in the background. If you listen carefully, you can hear, “Your Cheatin’ Heart” echo throughout time. The scene was ugly, like someone capturing the moment on TikTok for the whole world to see. And the whole town was witnessing the humiliation of the moment.

They brought her before Jesus and the gathered crowd, displayed like it was a reality tv show for ratings. The Pharisees forced Jesus to embrace the law of Moses which called for the execution of the those caught in adultery. In their hands were the rocks ready to be thrown. But Jesus spoke no words, and the silence was deafening. It doesn’t take a New Testament scholar with a PH.D. to ask the simple question, “Where’s the man?” If they caught her “in the very act of adultery,” then the missing guilty man means she’s been framed and is a pawn for their show. Suddenly, this story is getting creepily dark.

Jesus knelt on the ground and began to write. Did he doodle something? Did he write words? My curiosity is captured because I want to see what he was writing. And isn’t that the point? All eyes are now squarely focused on Jesus, and not on the woman. For a moment, her guilt and shame dissipate, as the crowd is more interested in what Jesus is doing than in what she has done.

But the instigators persist and press Jesus for a ruling. So, he rules, stating that anyone without sin casts the first stone. He then bends back down on the ground to write, while all eyes are now fixated on the provocateurs. And in an unexpected plot twist, the rocks begin dropping from their hands as they walk away from the scene, the oldest to the youngest.

And with the crowd still watching, Jesus looked up and questioned the woman. “Where are your accusers? Is no one here to condemn you?” Looking at the one sinless man with the right to condemn, she said, “No one.” And with words, he removed the guilt and shame as he kindly dismissed her. As she walked away you could almost hear Hank Williams singing, “I saw the light.”

 Words matter.

“May these words of my mouth, and this meditation of my heart, be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer” (Ps. 19:14).

Soli Deo Gloria!
(i.e., only God is glorified!)

* The Rumor Mill words by Jon Mohr.

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The Lies We Believe

We live in a world of lies. We are either convinced by them or are being convinced of them. The result is that the lies we believe are the lies we embrace, and the lies we perpetuate will shape our character.

Years ago, I walked into the office of a church member who I was scheduled to have lunch with. He was on the phone. I waited in the lobby, but I could see he was deep in a serious conversation with the person on the other end of the line. I waited as the conversation felt like it was part of a “never-ending story.” When he hung up the phone, he came toward me. Shaking hands, we began to exit his office, and he said, “They’ll lie to you, Jon. They’ll lie to you.”

To this day I do not know what the nature of the conversation was, nor who the person was on the other end of the phone. I do remember his words and that they remain crystal clear today, “They’ll lie to you.” And they will.

Lies come in all shapes and sizes, and colors too. They infiltrate our society and our lives, not only becoming part of our vernacular but framework and mindset to understand the world. If unguarded, lies will fester like a cancer and before we know how deceived we are the prognosiswill be terminal. The problem is that we are so easily deceived.

Just ask the radio listeners in 1938 to Orson Welles’ Mercury Theater on the Air program, who believed that Martians were invading the world. Radio then was today’s version of YouTube or TikTok, and with Wells purchasing the rights to HG Wells’ novel, The War of the Worlds, he set about presenting it in dramatic fashion. As the program unveiled landing sites with play-by-play destruction, pandemonium broke out across the nation. People were reacting to events based on a lie.

Or, just ask the Enron employees who were encouraged to reinvest back into their corporation. Believing their company was sound and profitable, they lost everything in less than six months. Actually, the money believed they had in stocks never existed. Kenneth Lay and Jeffrey Skilling developed a means to exploit loopholes in their accounting to hide billions of dollars in debt from shareholders. Employees invested, not in their future, but in the CEO’s lies.

Or, just ask the good German Christians who supported the Nazi Regime. Following the demoralizing defeat of World War I, Hitler used his charisma and vision for a new and improved Germany. The Jews were not only excluded from their “New World Order” but were scapegoated and blamed for their nation’s problems. The Jews were criminalized, dehumanized, and victimized. Tapping into the anger of the people, Hitler called the Jews, “parasites,” “race-tuberculosis,” “blood suckers,” and “vermin.” How could good German Christians be accomplices to the genocide of an entire race of people? Allow a big lie to be told over and over until you start to believe it, then rationalize it, then act on it.

Andy Andrews might have said it best when talking about one of his childhood friends, “The truth has no chance against such a convincing lie.”* He may be on to something.

The big lie of the ancient world is so foreign to the contemporary American culture, it’s often minimized and mocked. The big lie? Idolatry.

We don’t understand it. By either caricaturing the wood and stone carvings or over-simplifying it to hours watching TV or electronic devices, we reveal our ignorance. While idolatry offered lies about answers to life issues – such as explaining the turning of the seasons or why tragedy strikes – their fake answers were that the gods were angry with humanity or in a battle with each other and the fallout impacts life on earth. By removing the mystery of the universe, they felt they had more control over their lives. All of this is and continues to haunt us today. It was all a lie, but it felt like the truth to them. If we were honest, we’d fall for it too.

From the Ancient Near East to Greco-Roman times, three factors helped drive idolatry. First, sex sells, and it has always been marketed. Fertility rituals ensured successful crops and were always coordinated to temple prostitution. If you can imagine a modern-day marketing firm selling idolatry and linking it to religion and sensuality, then you can begin to understand the draw. Secondly, money talks. Ensuring that the right amount of rain will fall on the land is essential for an agrarian society. The rain makes the crops multiply. Rain allows grass to turn green and to grow so that herds and cattle may graze. This rain, they believed, was controlled by the gods. In our sexually saturated society, consumed with money and building wealth, we can understand the temptation to trust anything to increase pleasure and profit. Finally, politics warps. When a king imposes his idolatrous worldview on the people, this leaves very little room for resistance. From King Ahab to Nebuchadnezzar to the Caesar’s’ imperial worship, the pressure to fall in line removes the wiggle room for the individual to ignore or even protest. Standing against a king held deadly consequences. These reasons – sex sells, money talks, and politics warps – fueled the big lie of idolatry.

Corinth had its own struggle with believing the big lie. Paul had already warned his church to stay away from born-again Christians who worship idols (1 Cor. 5:9). With further questions, Paul spent three chapters helping the church navigate the culture of idolatry (1 Cor. 8-10). Unfortunately, the issue moves beyond the big lie, to the role and place of the pagan temple in the lives of the people. It wasn’t just a place of worship but served as the community center for the people as well. Banquets were held at the temple. Weddings took place in the temple, and if your neighbor invited you to his daughter’s wedding, what are you going to do? Work guilds held meetings at the temple, and if you were a member of the fishing or hospice guild, and you didn’t attend, you could be blackballed. What do you do? The struggle was real and the temptation to buy into the big lie was always present. Always.

Paul tackles idolatry and its lie one more time with the Corinthians, and he pulls no punches. First, he frames his argument in 2 Corinthians 6:14 by prohibiting the yoking of believers with unbelievers. The use of yoke takes the reader back to Deuteronomy 22:10 where Moses forbade yoking oxen to donkeys. Foreshadowing our own “cruelty to animal laws,” the oxen’s size and strength would overpower and kill the donkey. The two are incompatible. Paul views such yoking as a real threat to the life of the believer using words like “purify” and “holiness” while avoiding anything to “contaminate the body and spirit” (2 Cor. 7:2).

Secondly, Paul poses a series of five rhetorical questions (6:14b-16a) where he basically asks what truth has anything to do with lies. Clearly, the answer is “nothing.” Idolatry is the big lie and Jesus is the Truth, and the two merging is like food contaminated with salmonella poisoning. Even though the idolatry draw is so magnetically powerful, and the lie feels so right, Paul wants Corinth to fight and resist its pull.

Finally, Paul quotes a series of Scriptures in rapid fire. The quote in 6:14b is particularly interesting. “Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you” is from Isaiah 52:11. It’s the hopeful instructions to Israel as they see the day when they will return home from exile. The very lie they believed was that lie that shaped their character, which led to their destruction, which ushered them into exile. That lie is the one Isaiah says to avoid at all costs. The warning to the Corinthians is that something more is at stake than a home in Jerusalem, but a home with God.  

We swim in a world of lies. They are all around us, enclosing in on us while suffocating the truth. Like an onion, the more layers of lies we peel off, the more painful they become until our eyes water and our hearts break. If everyone has their own truth, then it’s likely everyone believes their own lie. The struggle to find the truth is real. Herein lies the hope. We can take steps to curb the onslaught of lies, many of which we likely believe.

First, open our eyes to how many lies are woven into the fabric of society. Simple awareness goes a long way in stopping lies from shaping our character and defining who we are. Secondly, if it’s too sensational to be true, then it’s likely a lie. Lies will lead you into a rabbit hole till you are lost in its caverns with no way of escape. Their magnetism will suck you in convincing you how everyone is involved in its plot. But if you cannot pull off a surprise party for a family member, how can you expect the whole world to be involved in a lie? If it’s too good to be true, it is. And finally, realize that sex, money, and politics fueled idolatry in the ancient world, and it continues to fuel the new form of modern-day idolatry. We need to live with this tension that all three are necessary for living. That said, all three will distort reality making you believe you’re serving God when in truth, you are really serving something evil. Something very evil.

It’s the lies we believe as my friend reminded me, “They’ll lie to you, Jon. They’ll lie to you.” Or, as Andy Andrews once said, “The truth has no chance against such a convincing lie.”* He may be right. But Jesus countered, promising, “You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (Jn. 8:32-32). And it will.

Soli Deo Gloria!
(i.e., only God is glorified!)

* Andy Andrews, Baseball, Boys, and Bad Words.

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Abandoning “Three Strike & Out,” while Embracing “One & Done”

Combining images from two different sports is a difficult. Baseball’s “three strikes and out” derives from the pitcher staring down the batter. The options are simple. After four balls (or hit by a pitch), the batter takes first base. If the batter puts the ball in play, he may safely reach base or be thrown out. Or, after three strikes, the batter is out and exits the batter’s box to return to the dugout. The batter is awarded two strikes and as many foul balls as needed. Once the third strike is called, his bat is over, at least for the moment.

On the other hand basketball’s “one and done” is a recent development. Since the NBA has age regulations, potential NBA players must spend at least one year developing their skills at the college level. Under the old rules players had to play three years in college before moving on to the pros, allowing college teams to build a cohesive dynasty. Today, numerous college teams recruit blue-chip players who only want to go pro. They play one year in college before declaring for the draft, thus for a college career, they’re “one and done.”

Finding a connection between “three strikes and out” with “one and done” will not be found in the sporting arena but in the biblical world. No doubt, it will be found in a most unlikely place.

As Moses was delivering the second of three speeches/sermons, as the Israelites were standing in the corridor of the Promised Land. The majority of the Israelites were not part of the Exodus and did not remember receiving the Law at Sinai. The three speeches of Deuteronomy were Moses’ farewell address. He not only reviewed the Law for them but also reinterpreted the Law for a new generation of Israelites embarking on conquering Canaan.

In the middle of the second speech (Dt. 18:14-22) Moses begins talking about prophets. He references a coming prophet who will be like him (Dt. 18:15a), with the call to “listen to him” echoing through the ages (18:15b), making the Christian reader think of Jesus’ transfiguration (Mt. 17:5; Mk. 9:7; Lk. 9:35).   

Then Moses pivots and gives a warning about the false prophets who will rise up in Israel. He knows they’re coming and he wants safeguards in place to protect his flock from being led astray. The simple distinction between a true prophet and a false prophet is the outcome of their prophecy. If the prophet predicts destruction and it fails to happen, he/she is a liar. If the prophet foresees success only to find devastation, he/she is a charlatan (Dt. 18:21-22). The severity of falsely predicting events is swift and sure. Instead of entertaining the prophet, Moses is intolerant of their fear-mongering. No “three strikes and out,” they’re given a “one and done” opportunity. One lie is the limit. The reaction is simple. In an attempt to keep them from leading Israel astray, put that false prophets to death (Dt. 18:20b).

Jesus assures us that false prophets are part of the system in a fallen world (see Mk. 13:5-8). They’ve been here before and they’ll be here again. They’re ongoing presence, though, does not mean we have to listen to them. We listen to Jesus. The key is not that they’re simply wrong in their prediction, but that they evoke God’s name in the process, claiming that God has revealed the future to them. So when we find their God-given prediction wrong, we cut the relationship strings. We silence their voices.

In my adult life these “prophets” have been plenty. In the summer of 1987 a group of people, invoking God’s name, claimed that Jesus was returning that year. He didn’t. They moved the goal posts to a future date only for that day to come and go like any other day. Yet the group seemingly lost no credibility. Or, on the threshold of the turn of the century, the rage was the Y2K scare. Granted, the question about computers being able to calculate the year “2000” was a good question to ask. However, some religious leaders exploited the fear, and representing God to the world, foresaw a world-wide financial crisis and meltdown. When life went on as usual, those religious leaders lost no credibility as people continued listening to them. Or, a televangelist blows the “Spirit of God” on the camera, like he’s blowing on you through the TV screen, claiming COVID is over and defeated only for it to claim over 300,000 more American lives, should raise serious credibility questions, but it doesn’t. Such behavior reeks of an opportunist seeking fame and fortune as people still tune in like they were sheep without a shepherd.

The list of blatant false prophets is far longer than a single scroll containing the words of Scripture, for as the Hebrews’ writer says, “I do not have the time to tell about . . . “ (Heb. 11:32b). We don’t have the time.

So when church leaders rise and begin invoking God’s name to predict what never unfolds, it’s time for the church to step up. In order to avoid being manipulated, let’s stop playing by the baseball rules and start embracing basketball rule. For it’s not our tolerance at stake, it’s God’s credibility.

Soli Deo Gloria!
(i.e., only God is glorified!)

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T.H.I.N.K. Jesus

Social Media has devolved into an environment where people feel free to share whatever is on their mind without running their words through a filter. Instead of a safe playground to interact with friends, social media has become dangerous and toxic. Not all the time, mind you. But a good portion of the time. Anger. Frustration. Hatred. Divisiveness. Slander. Shaming. All of which fuel the woke/called-out culture. Like the meme says, “I’m just as surprised as you are by what comes out of my mouth.”

To counter, someone created the T.H.I.N.K. paradigm to help provide a filter, not only for social media but for all our words. The T.H.I.N.K. acronym asks five questions based on the letters for think.

Is It True? The erosion/corrosion of truth in our society is well documented and I won’t use space to rehash that now. However, even with good source material to fact check information, we seem to be more concerned with our own agenda and not seeking truth.

Is It Helpful? It’s one thing to post ideas and concepts for consideration. But a very thin line is present to post for simply to stir things up. Like lighting a fire cracker just to watch everyone’s reactions, some post to watch Social Media explode. Instead of helping move the story forward, it becomes a show in and of itself.

Is It Inspiring? If what is posted does not help people, then it’s safe to say that it won’t inspire either. When our emotions overtake us, and when we’re driven by negative feelings, what we say or post will not inspire anyone. When posting to stir the pot or for combative purposes, then driving a wedge between others is the only inspiration, and it’s not very inspiring.

Is It Necessary? The fact that one may need to hit the pause button before posting or speaking may be a big clue to stop forward progress. Since experience tells us that we will not move the ideological needle, then it’s like a futile experience.

Is It Kind? Maybe the biggest question to ask hits at the kindness meter. Since too much social media is filled with anything but kindness, maybe we need to make sure otherwise. Let’s find new ways to encourage one another online.

The five questions that help shape or shift our paradigm only work so far as we’re willing to stop to ask the questions, then honestly answer them. Sounds complicated, especially since rules may offer a guide to holy behavior, but they’ll never transform people’s lives. Something more needs to happen.

Paul exhorts the Philippians to have the mind or attitude of Christ (2:5). While contextually, he’s talking about humility and unity, the broader principle is for his followers to think and act like Jesus. Beyond a simple or mimic WWJD formula, Jesus calls us to be him to the public. So when we speak or post on social media the message beyond the post is the redeeming work of Jesus in our lives. We don’t add to the toxicity of social media, we try to allow Jesus to redeem it. Cheerful. Supportive. Respectful. Harmonious. Complimentary. Honor. Silence. For Jesus himself once posted, “You are the light of the world” (Mt. 5:16). It’s time to let it shine.

Soli Deo Gloria!
(i.e., only God is glorified!)

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SHADING TRUTH: The Silhouette of Reality

As many as seventy-five times in the four gospels, Jesus declares, “I tell you the truth.” He does so to draw attention and to emphasize what follows. He’s also underscoring that what he is about to say is true and not a lie. Truth reaches to the core and very nature of who Jesus is. So much so that Jesus invokes God’s name when declaring, “I am the truth” in John 14:6.

As followers of Christ we are a people who step into truth, or into Truth, without trying to shade him with lies. Sometimes it’s a tall order.

In my lifetime a number of factors have converged that have created a perfect storm to cast a long shadow on truth. While I’m unsure as to if a “cause and effect” exists, certainly a correlation can be found in these factors.

► The Rise of Postmodernity: in an over simplification, truth lost any sense of universal or objective morality, reason or reality. Each individual for themselves what is right or wrong.

► The Eroding Trust in the Government/Institutions: the Vietnam Conflict, Watergate, economic downturns, abuse of power, over billing and self-serving leadership has led to a “drain the swamp” mentality.

► Church’s Fall from Grace: church has shifted from being the center of society to the fringes, and from the place of authority to the place of irrelevancy. Teaching is questioned, while transformation is too often dismissed.

► The Pushback against Academia: we are a society that educates its people while undermining the value of an education (i.e., questioning scientific evidence). As a society, we don’t read. In fact, we hate reading.

► The Attraction to Conspiracy Theories: people long to make sense of horrific/world events, to feel a sense of control and to make themselves look “good” because they are “in the know.” Thus, people are willing to chase and embrace these extravagant explanations.

► The Flood of Information: the internet and social media has given us more information without filters. Trying to wade through the sea of data is overwhelming and paralyzing. Anything posted on the internet is too often met with credibility instead of skepticism.

► Ideological Bias: we all live with blinders. We tend to filter information through our own beliefs. Sometimes it’s helpful to weed out the bad, but other times we throw out the flower that needs to grow.  

Jesus calls us to truth. But the provided list sometimes makes it hard to find the truth. Sometimes I feel like “the truth doesn’t have a chance against such a convincing lie” (Andy Andrews). But Jesus keeps calling us to truth. We have to keep listening through the white noise. When truth is being shaded, remember how the silhouette offers nothing, but the reality is full of substance. Or said another way, the lie will grip to enslave with fear, while the truth will set us free (Jn. 8:21).

Soli Deo Gloria!
(i.e. only God is glorified!)

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The Writing’s On the Wall Or the Lipstick Is On the Door’s Framing Edge

Mom’s stash of Avon sample lipstick was stored in the top drawer to the right of the sink in the only bathroom of my childhood home. Various shades were available, all in the classic white casing. I don’t remember who her dealer was or how she amassed such a collection. I do remember the drawer held a gazillion of these little lipsticks. 

On this day I was about eight years old. We were leaving for vacation to spend the week with our best friends on the Oregon Coast. Plenty of adventures awaited us and I was making the last trip to the bathroom before going to the car where dad was patiently waiting for us.

As I hovered around the sink I saw the opened drawer filled with the Avon lipsticks. They never called to me before, but they did that day. Their cry was loud and clear, motivating me to reach into the draw to remove one. Opening the lid, I stared at the reddish-pink color of ink before me. As if caught up in a trance, I opened the white cabinet door behind me. I took the lipstick and marked a squiggly line down the door’s framing edge. Standing back to admire my work, the reddish-pink color on the white background popped. It was almost like Christmas lights sparkling in the snow. I put the lid back on the lipstick and returned it to the drawer, then headed out to the car where I awaited the next adventure.

I didn’t have to wait long.

I was sitting next to my sister behind the driver’s seat when mom came and got into the car. Her face was fiery red with smoke fuming from her ears; she was about to blow and someone was gonna “get it.” It just wasn’t going to be me.

With the precision of a laser guided missile, she zeroed in on my sister and unloaded her payload for the sin I committed. Deanna did her best at denial by claiming innocence and ignorance.

Mom turned a deaf ear.

I remained silent and stayed clear of the fallout.

The more Deanna denied guilt, the stronger mom accused her of wrongdoing. Mom’s final argument was more than a simple shot across the bow, “Do you think one of your brothers would do this?”

I turned my head, raised my eyebrows and look out the window.

I’ve had some forty-five years to reflect on that incident. I wouldn’t say I feel a lot of guilt from what I did, in part because I was a child. Children do things they either regret or laugh about as adult. Deanna and I have laughed about this many times.

But there may be a couple of insights worth noting about this “writing on the wall.” First, never remain silent when you’re called to speak. We witness someone being bullied and turn away. We see the injured and refuse to help. We watch the poor and turn a blind eye. We know someone is making bad life decisions but choose not to intervene. While history’s voice is filled with the silence of those watching the unjust act, Scripture reminds us otherwise.

Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy (Prov. 31:8-9).

Secondly, never allow the innocent to be punished for the actions of the guilty. Time and time again stories emerge where the people know who committed the crime or the sin, but remain silent. Maybe they fear those in power or maybe they fear the majority. Maybe apathy has choked their voice. Either way, justice is perverted. Truth is lost. The guilty, going unpunished, thrive without anyone to challenge them.

I should have owned up to my deed. I ought to have said, “Mom, I vandalized the cabinet,” and then accepted the consequences.

While the writing may not always be on the wall, the sound of our silence will be loud and clear to God. I’m pretty sure that we’ll encounter a moment when someone’s voice needs to speak and be heard in the silence. Let’s make sure it’s ours.

Soli Deo Gloria!
(i.e. only God is glorified!)

By the way, if you still feel bad for my sister about taking the punishment for my sin and silence, then ask her about the cantaloupe.

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FNN: Fake News Network

Separating the truth from the lie has always been a difficult process. Parents, school officials, law enforcement, and church leaders, who try to navigate the conflict waters, often struggle to move beyond a “he said – she said” scenario. Sure, the truth is out there, but the truth is often elusive to find. And since we struggle to find the truth, the lies feed our frenzy.

The biblical narrative speaks about the need for truth. The ninth commandment prohibits false testimony in a legal proceeding (Ex. 20:16), so King Ahab is called out by Elijah for breaking this very commandment when he had Naboth falsely accused (1 King. 17:11-19). When Paul describes the immature Christian, he talks about someone lacking the ability to discern truth from deceitful lies, particularly when it comes to doctrine (Eph. 4:14-15). Throughout the Gospel of John, Jesus claims to not only speak truth, but to be truth (e.g. Jn. 14:6).

The culture we live in is struggling to decipher the truth from the lie. Our Christian faith swims in a culture of perpetuating lies, and it’s not too hard for us to struggle to distinguish between what is fact from what is fiction. The problem is multifaceted, and the solution is far from simple. Some of our struggle with the lies stem from the very sources that are supposed to provide truth, the news media itself. The result is the amount of unrest we experience from within and from without.

● The twenty-four hour news cycle naturally carries with it sensationalism. Whether we’re watching CNN or FOX News, by being on air all day long means they must have news in order to justify their presence. When something appears newsworthy, every program in the news media must report and hash out every detail all day long. Never mind that the particular news organization we watch has its own agenda to shape the news we watch. Since its cycling every twenty-four hours, we no longer have the down to time to reflect or digest the information being given us.

● Since the 2016 election, the mainstream news media has lost its credibility. During the election, the media miscalculated the presidential winner. The debates were viewed as fraudulent and bent. The tipping scale, beyond the presidential election, was the outlets trying to keep up with “Breaking News,” by reporting misinformed and inaccurate information. Instead of getting the facts straight first, go on air, then mop up the misinformation later.

● With the tarnished news media and the ease of access of the internet, we have run straight into the rise of true fake media outlets. According to multiple sources, Russia (and probably others) have been tampering with the news, not to promote a certain candidate but to sow seeds of discord. One of the means was to post “fake” stories on social media that appealed to the user’s political position. The stories were often irrational and stoked the fires of mistrust in order for people to turn on each other. The result is the rise of civil unrest in our society.

● Calling something “Fake News” does not mean it’s actually fake news, any more than calling something “true” makes it true. The biggest problem I see in the “Fake News” environment is people only reading or believing news that fits their political agenda, thus setting up the made up news stories on social media (Paul talks about being toned deaf to truth in 2 Timothy 4:4 with his image of “itching ears”). Instead of engaging with the news-story, and even rationally debating or discussing the issue at hand, the story is often devalued as nothing more than “fake news.”

While the whirlwind and onslaught of news media continues to swirl, a place of peace, reflection and truth does exist. That place is God. When we pull ourselves away from the distractions of the news media, and spend more time with God in a reflective mode, then and only then can we experience the calming truth of Psalm 46:10, “Be still and know that I am God.”  

Soli Deo Gloria!
(i.e. only God is glorified!)

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Shades of Truth

The use of shading in paintings or sketches allows for depth and realism.  Shading the truth only brings lies and deception to the forefront. I once colored a picture and was showing it to an artist.  She said, “I love your use of shadow, it makes it look like the sun is shining.” I looked at the picture I had drawn, studied the colors as I could see where I pressed harder on the left side of the paper, and lightened the coloring as I moved to the right.  I looked at her and admitted in all honesty, “It does look cool. But I never purposely tried to shade the picture. I guess I just got lucky.” Shading a colored picture is brilliant; shading the truth is another story. 

We’ve always known people who’ve shaded the truth; we’ve even done it ourselves. Abraham introducing Sarah as his sister while ignoring the glaring truth that she was also his wife shaded the truth to the Egyptians (Gen. 12:10-13). However, it seems that the shading in our society has gotten darker not lighter. Stephen Colbert coined the phrase, “truthiness,” to describe a person or people who hold convictions as true, even though empirical evidence, logic, or intellectual examination of the facts say otherwise. At the beginning of the year, Kellyann Conway coined the phrase, “alternative facts” (i.e. truth) to counter the report of the low turnout for the Presidential Inauguration. If fact is fact, or truth is truth, then what exactly is an “alternative fact,” if not shading the truth? 

This last week, in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey, FaceBook lit up in what only became known as the next cycle news story perpetuated by those who like shading the truth. The facts slowly emerged, but never fast enough to counter the lies. What is true is the Lakewood Church, home of Joel Osteen’s mega church in the old Compact Center, never opened its doors for the displaced. Another truth is that the outcry against him was heard all over the internet. As the facts emerged, Lakewood was never asked to open their doors by the city, for fear of another Superdome tragedy from Hurricane Katrina (bad plumbing, no showers & fresh water, and reports of sexual abuse). The Compact Center received its own damage during the rains; between flooding and structural integrity issues, the city feared escalating problems. Besides, the city had made arrangements for a number of other places designated as refugee spots, and using the Compact Center was only a last resort plan. 

In all candor, I am not a fan of Joel Osteen, but that doesn’t mean I don’t that I have no admiration for him. Not only do I admire his personal narrative of how he reluctantly entered the preaching ministry, but I also admire his ability to attract people who flock to his church every week in a culture where many (or most) churches are struggling to maintain status quo (Phil. 1:18 might apply here). My critique is that in his attempt to offer a “positive” message, the message he offers is rooted in the self-help, prosperity gospel. If we’re going to criticize someone, let’s make sure the accusations against them are the truth, without having to shade them for our advantage. Osteen never closed his doors to the people of Houston, but offered assistance where his church could. 

FaceBook has become a breeding ground for Fake News, which is another word for lies. We share and post articles without determining their validity.  We assume far too much, and it helps perpetuate lies. We post memes because they fit our conclusions. We’ve stopped reading, and when we do read we fail to allow for reflection on what we’ve read. We share articles without ever double checking the source, the agenda, or consulting with www.snopes.com (a website committed to filtering the truth from the lies). 

Jesus claimed to be truth (Jn. 14:6). Paul exhorted his readers to embrace truth and reject lies (Eph. 4:25). David plays the role of Diogenes as he searches for anyone who will tell the truth, but he searches in vain (Ps. 12:1). Maybe it’s time for our discipleship to Jesus to force us out of the shades and into the light of truth. 

Soli Deo Gloria!
(i.e. Only God Is Glorified!)

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Uncovering the Truth

“What is truth?” Pilate asked that question to Jesus while he was interrogating his prisoner to determine if the death penalty was warranted (Jn. 18:38). Pilate was struggling to comprehend the anger toward Jesus, at the same time trying to get his head wrapped around the person before him.  Jesus kept talking about his Kingdom and truth, “. . . I came into the world to testify to truth.  Everyone on the side of truth listens to me” (Jn. 18:37). Thus, Pilate’s rhetorical inquiry, “What is truth” never gets answered.

Arbitrarily assigning a meaning to “truth” from this conversation certainly will paint a narrow portrait, as John uses “truth” to move his Jesus Story forward over twenty times. “We have seen his glory . . . full of grace and truth” (Jn. 1:14). “Whoever lives by truth, comes into the light” (Jn. 3:21). “. . . true worshipers will worship in spirit and truth” (Jn. 4:23). “You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (Jn. 8:32). “Yet because I tell the truth, you do not believe me” (Jn. 845). “I am the way, the truth, and the life” (Jn. 14:6). “But when the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth” (Jn. 16:13). “Sanctify them by truth; your word is truth” (Jn. 17:17). 

In all of these passages, things become a little clearer. Jesus embodies truth. More than a contrast to falsehood or lies, Jesus reveals something about God’s character and expressed in the redeeming, salvation role of Jesus. We embrace the truth revealed in Jesus Christ, as we align ourselves with the redemption process. We begin reflecting Jesus in our own lives so that truth overcomes the falsehoods that originally defined us.

What is truth? We live in a time when truth is debated and debunked. It feels like truth no longer exists, or at least the social conscience of truth has dissipated like the mid-morning fog being burned away by the sun. Individually, it seems everyone has a handle on their own form of truth; my truth is relevant to me, but not to you. But, at least nationally, we’re struggling with a group consensus on truth. Thus, we find little agreement to solve the racial divide. We find the political landscape polarizing the people. Churches cannot find enough commonality to unite. The ease at which one may alter a narrative to leave a false impression is so easy to script. The fall of organized news media along with the rise in “fake news” outlets leaves everyone struggling to find the truth. So, like the tagline of the hit show of the 90’s, X-Files, “the truth is out there,” keeps us as far away from the truth as possible. 

“What is truth,” Pilate asked. Neither Jesus nor Pilate chose to answer the question leaving us to ponder the ramifications. However, the gospel writer spends the next two chapters unfolding the passion of Christ. So uncovering the truth is God’s power which is materialized in his Son to allow himself to suffer an unimaginable death which ends in resurrected glory. 

What is truth? Take a good look at Jesus Christ and you will find the answer.

Soli Deo Gloria!
(i.e. Only God Is Glorified!)