Truth Or Dare

The dictionary states that the definition of truth is: the quality or state of being true. Certainty.

The dictionary states that the definition of dare is: having the courage to do something. Defy or challenge someone to do something.

Truth. The truth is something that can be hard to come by these days. The first thing that I think of when I think of truth is honesty. Then if I’m being honest, the first word I think of when I think of honesty is my truth. But isn’t that the way it is? We tend to think of “our truth”. We live in a fallen world and that is the simple truth. It has the quality of being true, right? Yes. But living in a fallen world, one in which society is full of hypocrites (hey, you are one and I’m one, too), we all have our own truths. When my truth may be different from your truth …. it makes it hard to know what real is. We don’t know what to believe, we don’t know who to believe, and if we’re keeping it real …… we don’t even know what we want to believe anymore.

Strangers, or even our family and friends …. the government, Hollywood, and the media ….. everyone has an agenda and will lie, even if just by omission, just to get their way. We don’t even seem to care anymore, we’re like zombies just walking around and nothing phases us anymore, and we are just complacent to “live and let live”. What in the actual heck?

One of the saddest things I’ve witnessed within the church is believers tearing each other down. Lying about each other. Spreading gossip. It’s bad enough when people spread gossip that is “true” but it’s down right terrible when it’s without merit. We all have our own “truths”, our own ideas of what we think is “real” because it’s our “reality” so we think it’s golden so we let it reflect in our hearts, thus it comes out of our mouths. Just because we think something may be true about someone doesn’t give us moral high ground to go speaking down on our brother or sister in Christ. I hope this blog convicts you. I’m speaking to you out of a place of love. I know we like to “judge” the truth but make sure it’s the “truth” you’re judging. We can all have opinions of each other and think something of somebody but I’m going to argue the enemy is making a mountain out of a mole hill for the sake of the cause. Don’t rely on someone else’s opinions or feelings or past experiences or thoughts to sway you. If you have a brother or sister who is gossiping about another brother or sister, stand guard, don’t just take things as they are because whether it’s true or not, you’re called to love and this is what you’re meant for, not talking about each other. Unfortunately we are prideful people who have our own agendas and are self-serving, we are too focused on convincing other people that we are right about others and their wrongdoings, rather than lovingly pointing others to Christ. Be your own judge and form your own opinions (and you’re welcome to keep those to yourself) but be careful who and what you believe. Set standards for yourself. Keep your eyes on Him. The truth is rarely present in the society we live in which is why we are called to love others and shine!! The only truth you need to be concerned with is the only constant truth. The one true source of truth, God’s living, breathing and holy word: the Bible.

We can rely on Him. 24/7  He always speaks truth. He always cares. He always listens. He will never forsake us. He is steadfast in abounding love. He is full of mercy and grace. He is good and forgiving. He will never lead us astray. He is unchanging. We can rely on Him as if our very lives depend on it; because they do. I know that the Bible is the living word of God because it tells me it is. I have no reason to doubt that and I never will.

My reality and my realities are two very different things.

My reality is that I know, without a doubt that the Bible is God’s written, living word. I’m willing to bet my life, my soul ~ eternity on that. I know that God loved me so much that He sent His only Son, Jesus Christ, to die on a cross for my sins. I know that I get to have a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ. I know this because I know that the Bible is infallible. That is reality. That is the truth.

My realities are that I am a human being. I am a sinner – I am a human living in a fallen world. I live in a society where I make mistakes constantly. Constantly. Is this societies fault? No, it’s Adam & Eve’s. Haha. No, it’s my inherent sin nature. I’m a sinner. It’s my fault. But still, I may think that something is “okay” because other “Christians” are reading or watching it. Maybe I “think” since others “think” it’s okay that it is and I give myself “permission” and let myself off the hook to do something. We all have our “pet sins” whether we care to admit that or not. We all have things that we have, to some extent or another, embraced – embraced our own sins. Father, forgive us for we know not what we do. But wait, yes we do. Don’t we? Yes, we do. Maybe you let others opinions sway you too much, which is a problem, much like peer pressure, which is why we have to have a solid foundation of biblical truths so we know “truth”. If you’re reading something or watching something or listening to something (especially teachings) and they aren’t lining up to what you know or don’t sound right, you have the ultimate source, go back and see what God says. There is one specific way to know the truth: God. He is the one way because He is the only way! He is the only way to know truth! There is more than one way to get your answer outside of scripture, of course, and it’s going to be different for every person and situation. For some people it’s going to be just the Bible, others fervent prayer, some it will be a circle of good friends with sound judgement who will risk wounding our ego to call you out in love, for others it will be doing research to find reliable answers to bring answers to the questions they seek.

Something I’ve been convicted about personally is giving more consideration to others. I’ve always considered myself a pretty open minded person and I do have common sense so when someone tells me something that just doesn’t seem logical to me I’m quick to dismiss it in my brain, but I’ve found that the enemy actually knows this about me and uses it to his advantage as well, because he knows that I will actually not entertain any idea or conversation that I don’t think is logical.

How many people have I just ignored or not given love to because I wasn’t fully committed to the conversation and really truly hearing them because I thought what they said didn’t sound logical at the time? That it didn’t make sense? I’m learning that I need to really listen to people and just pray for discernment later if it’s something pressing on me after the conversation, I shouldn’t just rely on the first feeling I have about someone. I’m too judgemental. Hey, aren’t we all?

Be confident in the Bible and rely on Him and His word for guidance. He’s given us everything we need already. 

I dare you to love harder today.

I dare you to read your Bible today.

I dare you to be a braver and bolder version of you today than you were yesterday.

I dare you to tell someone about Jesus today.

I dare you to be confident in Christ.

I dare you that….. (as Pastor Wendell Lang says) “Wherever you go, whatever you do, say a good word for Jesus!”

“Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.”  ~Hebrews 13:8~