Bible Verse: “I am the way, the TRUTH, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6)
Scripture Reading: Mark 4:1-25
You’re probably rich. You’re almost certainly one of the wealthiest people the world has ever known. Yet, you probably don’t feel rich. You know too many people with “more.”
Maybe you’re paying your mortgage, scrounging to pay bills, scared by retirement and sweating increased interest rates.
Regardless, you’re probably rich. The world has more money than ever before (463 trillion dollars). If you have assets adding up to $138,346 USD, you’re in the richest 10% of the world.[1] If you have assets of even a few thousand dollars, you’re in the richest half of the world.
Many of you are rich, even if you don’t feel like it.
Truth is not the same as perception.
This week, we’re talking about social issues. This pattern of confusing truth with perception haunts our culture. We can talk about greed, polarization, health care, crisis pregnancies, government, war, mental health, schools, and child poverty — in all these areas and more, we frequently equate how we feel with what is.
Our perceptions matter. Sometimes, they are accurate or at least lead to truth. My wife suffers from migraines. For years, the lack of observable issues led many health professionals to disregard migraine sufferers and think, “It’s all in your mind.” After millions of reports describing similar symptoms, migraines are increasingly taken seriously. Perceptions matter.
Perceptions can also be inaccurate. A child yells, “Why do you hate me?” at their loving mother. A rich person feels poor. A woman feels like a man trapped in a woman’s body.
Some young people aren’t having kids because they feel the world is in such a broken state. Yet objectively, on almost every significant social metric, the world is wealthier, healthier, and more stable than ever before. The problems are numerous and staggering, but not worse.
Truth is not the same as perception.
What might happen in our social discourse if we could value perception without equating it with truth? Above all, what might happen if we committed ourselves to seeking and living in alignment with truth? Followers of Christ have nothing to fear from rigorous truth-seeking — we follow the One who said, “I am the way, the TRUTH, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6)
Prayer: Lord, we want to be people full of grace and full of truth. Please help us see where we are blind. Show us how to be “truth people” without becoming cold, calloused, or defensive as we try to love our neighbours. Amen.
Reflection: Do you relate to mixing up truth with perception? Do any of the above examples stick out to you? Take a few minutes, think about where you might mix up truth with perception, and ask Christ how you might respond.
[1] https://www.mpamag.com/nz/news/general/youre-probably-in-the-top-10-wealthiest-in-the-world-heres-why/422802
Copyright © 2024 Impactus. All rights reserved.
About
