"Truth"

The truth is not encased in glass,

And on display, you see,

In some downtown museum,

Where people pay a fee,

To walk by and observe it,

And take a pic or two,

And listen to a tour guide,

Describe what they call true.

Truth’s not like a runaway,

Something you rope and tie,

But more like that it’s after you,

Pursuing, that’s no lie.

Truth’s is not a franchise,

That can be bought or sold,

It’s God’s own interaction,

And His story told.

And truth is not in lettered stone,

Or a monument of steel,

But rather it’s a Spirit,

That embodies all that’s real.

Jesus called it this way,

And said that when it flows,

It will lead to freedom,

Because truth above all knows,

That living free depends upon,

The truth applied you see,

Lived out as a way of life,

And everyone can be.

So, yes, it’s in the Good Book,

We read about what’s true,

But when it comes down to it,

It’s how much true you do.

Knowing and then doing,

Is what it’s all about,

But if you only hear it,

You stay the same, no doubt.

Lord, fill us with Your Spirit,

And ever truthful be,

Live what’s true right through us,

Empowered to be free.

“And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free…” (John 8:32, NLT)

The Pharisees who argued with Jesus about this thought they had a franchise on God’s truth. When Jesus offered them the freedom that truth brings, they missed the point altogether. It never occurred to them that they misdiagnosed themselves. They thought they were free, but they weren’t. They were enslaved to sin and their sin had blinded them. They were deceived, while believing they were doing God’s will. They could then justify their behavior because they were convinced they were right. All this to caution us about our own freedom. If we humbly admit that we are prone to get it wrong and often miss it, the Spirit will grace us to both understand and apply the truth. It’s all about letting the Spirit of Truth set us free.

Lord, help us hear, understand and apply the truth that alone can set us free, in Jesus’ name.

Art by Don Weller, donweller.com. Used by permission. Thanks, Don, and God bless you.