Nothing but the Truth

Truth

Jesus said I am the way, the TRUTH, and the life

meaning not so much that he was a gatekeeper but an example

 

a person who spoke truth

and lived truth

 

who moved in a straight line from the Love of God

to what he said and did

 

that is part of what made Jesus so beautiful

he was true to God

true to himself

and he shared the truth with those he met

 

sometimes that truth was comforting

sometimes that truth was disturbing

but it was always the truth

 

whatever happened to truth?

when did we decided it was OK to lie?

when did we decided it was OK to live a lie?

 

in other words, when did it become OK to lie about ourselves

(to ourselves and others)

and OK to lie about others?

 

and when did it become OK to lie about God?

 

we all lie, to one degree or another

it is perhaps impossible to be totally true

 

sometimes it is a matter of understanding

 

we don’t see ourselves clearly, and so

we believe and say things about ourselves that are not true

we don’t really understand God clearly

and so we believe and say things about God that are not true

 

sometimes it is a matter of fear

“If people see me as I really am they will not value or love me!”

 

but something else is going on

something darker and more damaging

 

the lies of Trump, and Carlson,

the lies of those assailing Ketanji Brown Jackson on the floor of the Senate

 

those people who are walking, talking, pontificating falsehoods

false to themselves

false to God

 

using lies and misrepresentations

using incongruence and hypocrisy

as a way to power

 

using lies manipulatively to harm another

and help themselves

 

this kind of lying is a violation of love

 

and it destroys

good

 

it destroys the possibility of

healing

and reconciliation

and progress

 

lies trap us

personally

lies trap us as a society and a nation

 

the lie of American exceptionalism

traps us

the lie that might makes right

traps us

 

the lies we tell to ourselves and to others

trap us

in a dark and loveless place

 

“telling the truth is an act of love”  (Jacqui Lewis)

and it is the truth that sets us free

 

sets us free to love ourselves

sets us free to love others

 

there can be no love without truth

there can be no healing without truth

 

lies may have power

but that fleeting twisted power is nothing

compared to the power of truth

and love

 

the light shines in the darkness

and the darkness cannot overcome it

 

Talk away Senator Cruz, Mr. Hawley, Mr. Graham, Ms Blackburn

and all the rest

talk away

lie if you must

 

but truth will ultimately win

+++++++++++++++++

 

 Come senators, congressmen

Please heed the call

Don't stand in the doorway

Don't block up the hall

For he that gets hurt

Will be he who has stalled

The battle outside ragin'

Will soon shake your windows

And rattle your walls

For the times they are a-changin'

                               Bob Dylan