TRUTH AS I SEE IT

Reminiscing with my brother a few years ago, he began to tell a story, “Do you remember when….”  As he continued with the details, I thought, “That isn’t the way it happened at all.”  It isn’t that he was lying, he just remembered or interpreted the events a little differently than they appeared to my mind.  It really did not make much difference to our lives which account was true and I’m sure the truth was actually contained somewhere amidst both recollections.

Perception is an amazing mental exercise.  Perception is the way you see an event or situation, filtered through the lens of philosophy, experience, environment and even desire.

 How many times have we “listened” to someone speaking but only “heard” the parts that fit the narrative, we have embraced.  A great example of course is the sermon you hear at church….A preacher preaches a “God wants you to be prosperous” message and your ears perk up because who doesn’t want money and all the great things you can buy.  So we go home excited and expecting a check in the mail or a bonus from the boss because that kind of preaching fits our narrative.  When the events fail to fit our narrative, however, we don’t realize that it may be because we DIDN'T hear the part in the sermon about God blessing us through a job and good stewardship or though we may be “poor in life, we can be rich in spirit” or even the part about “our soul prospering.”  The sermon was filtered through the “lens of desire.”

Speaking of “TRUTH FILTERED THROUGH THE LENS OF DESIRE,” one scripture that is always “thrown” out there to justify someone’s lustful pursuits is this part of 

Philippians 2:12 “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.”  

And I want to SCREAM, “Could you misquote and twist a scripture anymore to fit YOUR TRUTH?”   This scripture belongs on the list of SELF-MANIPULATED SCRIPTURES, along with “judge not” and “all things in moderation.”  Perhaps that is one reason the world is in such a state of confusion, we are all busy trying to WORK OUT OUR OWN SALVATION!  Do we really think TRUTH is so fluid that God just left it up to us to “WORK IT OUT?” This scripture isn’t telling you to “work it out” any old way you “see it,” but it is saying that I can’t be saved for you or you for me; we must come to God and have a personal relationship with Him, on our own.

 There remains only ONE WAY and ONE TRUTH; it is TRUTH AS GOD IS!

There are many things, as we journey through life, where getting all the details exact won’t really make much difference.

  When it comes to GOD, however, there is only ONE TRUTH and it makes all the difference.  

If “TRUTH AS YOU SEE IT” doesn’t match up with “TRUTH AS GOD IS,” you have a problem.  The “TRUTH AS YOU SEE IT” may get you through life and a friendly relationship with your neighbor but only the “TRUTH AS GOD IS” will give you a relationship with Him and get you through eternity.