Truth…how can we find it?

Within a pandemic, political divide, and inequity, biases and prejudices are being revealed. Who can we believe? To find a news article or a news program that does not carry bias is extremely challenging. Everyone wants to be right in their opinion and if you happen to disagree you are dismissed. Critical thinking is not welcome in conversations. Seeking truth can be maddening! The division occurring within the context of the information stream of the pandemic is causing a great wound. Families, medical specialists, faith spaces feel they need to take a side and stand with it. Closing a loop in their mind. Dismissing any opposing information while clinging to their own AI. To find out we might be wrong would be painful. We spend time defending and justifying what we believe without considering that the other side may have a good reason for the information they are presenting. We trust our feelings and seek evidence to affirm our thinking. Closing our thought loop results in a very limited, closed-minded way of thinking. I am right, you are wrong. Authoritative competition, polarizing sides, chaos, confusion, anger, shame, blame, and hatred are all evidence that the enemy is in the midst. He is having a field day.

Because my future grandchildren will be of a minority race and I love my son-in-law, the BLM movement became a new personal interest space for me. During that summer, an internal wrestling to find truth, was happening on my inside. I yearned to see different perspectives, to understand others who may have a different point of view.

Many years ago, I felt a desire to read books on the Holocaust to learn more about the experiences of those who suffered so greatly. Before reading The Book Thief, I found the information too challenging for me to absorb. Marcus Zusak, the author wrote the story through the eyes of death and that perspective soften the painful message so that my mind could receive it.  

 In this new pursuit of understanding racial differences, I was caught once again with the content of the books being too hard for me to learn from. Gathering information, news stories and firsthand experiences filled my time. My mind struggled to accept some of the stories and messages. Was I struggling with their perspectives or were some of the authors in BLM movement presenting concepts that are too challenging for me to comprehend? 

The book that I could learn from was The Third Option written by Miles McPherson. He spoke in a language I could receive to transform my thinking. McPherson’s message is challenging but did not seek to blame, which had been a stumbling block I found in some of the other books. 

While reading McPherson’s book, I was able apply one of his concepts to talk my way through a situation that could have ended up threatening. Finding myself in an ally surrounded by people who did not look or think like I did, I was asked a political question. Recognizing the vulnerable place, I was in, I asked for permission to share my perspective, which was opposite of those I was in dialogue with. Not only did they listen that accepted my answer and allowed me to live! They accepted my truth. We parted peacefully and friendly.

This is my summary of The Third Option.

Let us talk. Let us be real. Let us listen. Let us see each other. No blame. No shame. We are all hurting. Let us sit alongside in community to help in the healing. Fighting each other is not working. We must learn to love our neighbor, no matter how different they are from us. Richness lies in relationships of diversity. The more we know about others the more we know about ourselves. Let’s love our neighbor as ourselves.

So where do we find Truth in the messy, wonderful world in which we live? We look for the Light. If you are in despair, troubled, or depressed about the darkness that surrounds us, stop going there. Move out of the troubling spaces and seek what makes you shine! Keep an open mind but if something you read or hear does not sit well, discern it. Is the enemy present? Is this a place that you are not able to process yet? Is it not a place you should waste your time? If I am reading a book that causes me to fret, I try to figure out the reason. Is the enemy at play or is God working to convict me of a bias that needs changing? Do not avoid the dialogue wrestling. Do not cling to it either.

In conclusion, I believe that we can only find truth in our eyes and words of our Creator. He has all power and authority over this world and everything in it. To understand Truth in a world that does not want us to see it, we must increase our understanding about our amazing Father who loves us more that we can even imagine. By reading his Word, by walking with others who know His love, and by loving others, we are on the path to Truth. Also valuable, learning the tactics of the enemy, the one whose whole purpose is to get in the way of knowing about the Love of God. He sits in the confusion, and in the chaos. He loves hatred and division. 

Move to the Light of Truth.                        God wants us all to be One.                    Everyone is invited.                             Everyone is welcome.                          Each person has their own truth.               We have all walked our own path to get to where we are.                                            

All are children of the One True Father.            United in relationship.                               God’s plan from the beginning.