Beauty or Beast?

Some people might suggest that truth can be ugly, revealing the reality of things unattractive hidden beneath the surface. Depending on one’s perspective, there could seem to be a bit of validity to such a statement, but is there more than meets the eye, even when the veil has been lifted? In many ways, people try to avoid or obscure truth, especially when it poses a perceived threat to their personal comfort. There are some who think that the truth must be concealed because the essence of the truth would appear repulsive or offensive if brought to the light of day. Here is a simple concept or premise: what truth illuminates may not be beautiful, but truth itself has an intrinsic beauty that is expressed, in contrast to the ugliness of unmasked realities. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Truth is beautiful to even a blind person, if it is viewed through the lens of honest acceptance and appreciation. Jesus Christ is the TRUTH that sets us free from the shame and fear of ignorance and deceit, and reflects the divine beauty of the Creator and His love. As we more earnestly seek truth, we will witness the splendor of eternal and indescribable beauty, and we will discover a genuine beauty in ourselves along the way.

To Heal or Hurt?

There is an oft-quoted line from a movie that goes something like, “You want the truth? You can’t handle the truth!” Perhaps it’s an apt expression about how many people view their desire for truth. Most people readily confess that they prefer the truth over a lie, but sometimes the truth is too intense, raw, or overwhelming to immediately embrace. Christians bear enormous responsibility to be honest, forthright, and truthful in every matter, regardless of how uncomfortable the truth might prove to be. When we try to spare peoples’ feelings by being anything less than totally honest, we have devalued that relationship. With candor comes obligation; the truth can be painful, but it should never be weilded to intentionally inflict hurt. The Apostle Paul cautioned believers to speak truth in love, to meditate on things that edify and encourage others with tenderness. Truth, properly shared heals past hurts, and protects from potential wounds caused by callous hearts and sharp tongues. Exercise wisdom in every relationship because some people try to disguise truth with their own bias and convictions, but the true identity of truth will not be concealed indefinitely. Only He who is Truth can reveal the whole essence of what is true.

Worship Essential

A life without honesty and sincerity is a life without joy. One adage puts it this way, “To thine own self be true.” Some people go through much of life wearing a facade or masquerading as something else. When we try to be all things to all people, we can forget who we really are on the inside. Authenticity is vital in every relationship, but in none more important than our relationship with Christ. Jesus lays out a simple, yet essential point in John 4:24 that involves truth. Every facet of who we are, or what we can be is directly related to where we are in relation to the One who created us. To know Christ is to know truth, and to worship Him requires conforming to what is eternally real. If our lives are not a reflection and expression of Him, the fullness of truth’s essence is absent in us. Anything that ignores or denies Christ is deception. Live and walk in truth.

Fables and Facts

A most curious thing called urban legends are often nothing more than fanciful concoctions of an overactive imagination. We have all heard stories passed along by people who had credibility with us, only to find out later that they were simply repeating fiction. We even get e-mails of this same nature; accounts of some fantastic incident that sounds both too impossible to believe, yet just plausible enough to accept that there could be a little truth to it. There’s the crux: is it real, or is it not? Some stories with no validity at all survive for years, being told and accepted as fact. Other stories fail to pass the muster in a short time, and the deceptions or inaccuracies are soon exposed. Proverbs 12:19 reminds us of the instability of lies and falsehoods, and suggests that only truth will stand the test of time and endure challenges brought against it. What about your personal life and testimony; are you being real each day with yourself, with other people, and with Christ? Be genuine! Resist the temptation to present yourself as an imposter or as something you aren’t. It’s all about truth and being true.

Clarity

One of the most intriguing phenomenon people encounter is the mirage. The eyes tell you one thing, but the reality is very different. Some people say that seeing is believing, but when your eyes decieve you, your belief is not very justified. The events of everyday life often present us with a certain view or message, but we realize later that we had been mistaken in our perception. This awareness could leave a person with a sense of uncertainty about what or who is genuine in their lives. Things really are not always what they appear to be, but Jesus is the same forever. His love is unchanging, and His character is authentic. Only as we better know Him will we fully begin to see life, other people, and ourself with clarity.

The Quest Begins

Any serious search for truth begins with identifying the source and culmination of all truth: Jesus Christ. Sacred scripture tells us in John 14:6 that He is “the way, the truth, and the life”. All knowledge and understanding flows from that simple and eternal premise; every lie has its origin in the denial of that same core reality. To discover and discern what is real and certain, we must be able to recognize what is false. That process starts in God’s Word.

Hello world!

Welcome to TruthPrism. This will be a place where the discrepancies, the illusions, and the distortions of truth are exposed, illuminated, and eliminated, leaving only a clear and focused view of what is real. If you seek fantasy, fallacy, or fakery, go elsewhere; if you desire to understand the wisdom and knowledge that comes from Christ, you are in the right place. My voice will speak His words.