Thy Word Is Truth

Starlight

I was having my afternoon nap when my phone rang. Usually I remember to set it to "Do Not Disturb" during my nap, but this time I had forgotten.

"Hello, is that John?  This is Matthew" began a bright, cheery voice, obviously launching into a script of some sort. [Name has been changed.]

I grunted something incoherent, in the way one does when one has just been woken up. But "Matthew" was unstoppable.

"I'm a financial advisor.  I work with several of your neighbors and I'd like to help you too."

I grunted some more.

"Let's get some things straight. Tell me, do you have any investments with X or Y [two well-known mutual fund companies}?"

By this point I was awake and annoyed enough to cut "Matthew" off. How dare this person interrupt my rest in order to tell me half-truths about my neighbors and try to worm private information out of me?! Once, only a few people had my phone number.  Now random people call me up and lie to me.  The phone has become another means of communication that I have to treat defensively, remembering that the words I hear may be less than the truth.

This is the moment when I was flooded with joy.

The joy came with some content - I will try to express it as "God's word is truth" or "Truth is the language of God's kingdom" (see John 17:17). The world that we live in is full of "Matthews", and that means that we have to be aware - even half-awakened from a nap - that what we're hearing may be less than the full truth. But in God's kingdom we don't have to be defensive in this way. And, thus, in God's kingdom it will be safe for us to share the truth also.  God's judgment simply means the light of truth shining everywhere in our hearts.  All has been revealed! We have nothing to hide in our own speech, and nothing to be afraid of in the speech of others. What a joy! 

This is what Psalm 19 means in comparing the truth of God's speech to the radiance of the sun and other beautiful metaphors:

The decrees of the Lord are firm,
    and all of them are righteous. 
They are more precious than gold,
    than much pure gold;
they are sweeter than honey,
    than honey from the honeycomb.

As I simply envisaged this aspect of the life of God's kingdom, I was flooded with enough joy to completely overwhelm my annoyance at "Matthew's" interruption.  Indeed, I am grateful that "Matthew" made it possible for me to experience the beauty of God's truth.  That kingdom of truth is where I am called: yes, to inhabit it after death, but also to strike out for it now, as well as I am able.

"You will know the truth", says Jesus (John 8:32), "and the truth will set you free".

What is truth? said jesting Pilate; and would not stay for an answer. Francis Bacon
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