TRUTH

Have you noticed that Truth seems to be a cheap commodity these days? Election season always seems to promote an ‘open season’ on the truth as we watch politicians play games to win our vote. How can they shade the truth… or present the truth… or distract people from the truth so that we will give them our nod on Election Day? Most of us are fed up with political ads, and not just because they interrupt our shows. We know that those ads shimmy on the truth. They show video clips, cut at just the right moment to slander the opponent, while presenting only the side of their truth that they think we will like. Most politicians are salesmen (and women), willing to take whatever stand necessary to gain our vote. If you do the research, you will find one politician after another who have ‘changed their minds’ on particular issues when they decide to run for office. I’m pretty sure that most of them have not experienced a ‘come to Jesus’ conversion. Admittedly, I am a bit jaded after 44 years of watching all these shenanigans. I so want to be able to vote for a person of integrity but struggle to find many of them on the ballot. The other day, I asked my college students what sources our politicians should use to inform their moral foundation that will guide their political work. My students countered with the question- do our politicians have a moral foundation? The younger generation is more jaded than I am… and thus seldom vote.

 Truth…

 Is it possible that our politicians play fast and loose with the truth because we demand that they tell us what we want to hear?

Two thousand years ago, Paul wrote his final letter to pass on the reigns of his ministry to his dear son in the faith- Timothy. Paul gave Timothy some practical advice: “Drink some wine to help your stomach.” “Don’t have anything to do with foolish arguments.” “Be kind to everyone.” At the end of his final letter, Paul speaks a word to Timothy that crosses the ages- a word that speaks clearly to us.

Is it possible that our politicians play fast and loose with the truth because we want them to give us the answers we desire… that they are just giving us what our “itching ears want to hear”? One tells us that the election was stolen, while the other tells us that we can trust our election process. One tells us that we can use the “my body-my choice” argument for vaccines and mask wearing, while the other uses that same “my body-my choice” argument for the sanctity of a woman’s choice. One tells us that climate change is a hoax while the other declares that we have a sacred duty to protect our deteriorating environment. The ‘truths’ that they campaign on are often polar opposites. Thus, by definition, some are speaking lies. As we prepare to vote, we insist that our candidate is standing on the truth, while ‘they’ are being fed the lies ‘they’ want to hear. Yet, I suspect that we often choose our candidates not on the integrity of their position or the truth that undergirds their position, but because they are telling us what we want to hear. How many of us have read carefully and prayed deeply about the important choice we are about to make?

One of my simple pleasures after a long, tough day (and there have been many of those of late), is watching a movie on the Hallmark channel. Admittedly, the movies are predictable- the same story lines- just different settings, the same actors- just different pairings… and always a happy ending! After the complexity of daily life, a predictable story with a happy ending is just what the doctor ordered. Right now, Hallmark is doing the Countdown to Christmas. Yes, Hallmark insists on a 3-month countdown. Today is only the first of November, but I have already seen my fill of Christmas trees! Yet, with all that Christmas, I have not seen any Jesus. There seems to be no Christ in Hallmark’s Christmas these days. Perhaps that is what is missing in our search for truth. Jesus said,

St. Paul challenged the Christians in Corinth that they were judging by appearances and living by the standards of this world. Then he called them to take captive every thought and make it obedient to Christ. (I Corinthians 10:4-8) Too often of late, Jesus has been used to justify the positions that have already been taken, rather than listening to Jesus’ challenge. This week, that is my commitment, to surrender every voting decision to my Lord and Savior afresh. Have I judged the candidates and their positions by the world’s standards? What is Jesus saying to me today? How can I honor Him and love His world with my vote?

With you seeking Godly discernment,
Anita