Do We Really Want Truth?

If you don't think about the question, really, then you say 'yes, of course I do.  Who wouldn't want truth?'  But then just take a second and realize what truth could really mean in our lives.  On a shallow level it could mean finding out that your favorite pair of jeans really aren't all of that flattering on you.  It could mean finding out that, for one reason or another, your personality just really doesn't mesh as well as you thought it did with (fill in your blank here).  It means sometimes finding out that we've hurt others much more than we ever thought, it means finding out that people may not like you as much as you thought, it means finding yourself in an extremely vulnerable situation... and we all know that isn't comfortable. 

I mean, think about it, if anyone has ever said to you, "Well, do you want the truth?" you immediately feel yourself shutter inside.  People just don't say that when the truth is good.  It seems anymore that our lives have become to comfortable for 'truth'.  We don't like the vulnerability, we don't like the exposure, and we'd rather go on living in our little naive worlds because we are comfortable.  

You want to know what's crazy about the word comfortable, though?  I've seen a lot of complacent Christians who have become far to comfortable in their faith.  I've seen a lot of broken marriages, because the spouses had become too comfortable with one another.  I've seen a lot of unruly teenagers speak harshly and disrespectfully to their parents because they have grown comfortable to do so.  I've seen and talked to a lot of unhappy people because they were too content to do anything outside of their comfort zones. 

Being comfortable isn't necessarily always a bad thing, but as Americans I believe we've made it our goal.  We want to be comfortably, live comfortably, and get by comfortably.  And quite frankly, truth and comfort don't actually mesh together very well.  Thus, comfort has often times won out over truth. 

And what is truth?  It could be a lot of things.  It could be the things listed above... maybe your haircut is awful and no one ever told you.  Maybe it's a bad pair of jeans.  Maybe it's a bad attitude.  Maybe it's sin in your life.  Maybe it's a failing marriage.  Maybe it's a whole slew of these things that we mask and hide because we want to appear to be 'comfortable', and truthfully, bad attitudes and failing marriages or kids that disrespect you, well, they aren't exactly comfortable.  So when the greet time at church comes around and someone asks how we are doing we say, 'Great', regardless, because we don't want to make them uncomfortable. 

So what is all of this anyway?  It's a plea for truth.  It's an urgency for us to forget being comfortable for awhile and get down to business.  Let's stop dancing around the truth for the sake of our comfort.  You see, folks, comfort isn't working for us!  Comfort doesn't save marriages.  Getting uncomfortable does!  Talking about stuff that hurts does!  The truth winning out... that's what saves marriages!  Or faith... our comfort accomplishes nothing in our faith!  The truth does, and let's all face it folks, the truth that we have in Jesus Christ, it's not comfortable!  I don't know when the last time was that you explained the gospel to an unbeliever, but it's not exactly comfortable to let them know, allbeit gently, that in their current situation they are not bound for heaven.  That is not comfortable for anyone involved, but it's still truth!  Even from a theological perspective, we get so caught up in our comfort that it's easier for us to look at what we've always believed rather than deal with the discomfort of what the truth might bring. 

The truth is usually hard, but it's also always right.  Jesus said He is the truth.  Scripture also tells us that we should worship God in spirit and in truth... and frankly, if worship is the offering of our life, and not just something we do on Sunday mornings, then God receives worship in my truthfulness, regardless of how hard, hurtful, or difficult as it may seem.  Love rejoices when truth wins out!

Our comfort is getting us no where.  Let's put it aside and see what truth has to offer.  If Jesus is truth, I'm venturing to guess we'd all be much better off. 

-a