Walking in God’s Truth… Good morning Hump Day readers. There is a question that stirs in my mind over and over again, and it’s about “truth.” This last week I saw truth bent in so many directions my neck hurt and my brain was in overload! First one: 4 guys in their late 20’s, came into the campground wanting to swim. They didn’t stop, didn’t read the signs, so I told them to head up to the recreation area for that. They said great, we’re excited to go cliff-jumping in the lake. I quickly told them that’s illegal and they would be cited–the rules are strict on cliff jumping and every year people get hurt, some die. Their answer “we don’t care about your rules, we’ll do what we want, after all we’re young—not old like you.” Flaunt the rules and the truth and guess what – 2 of them were badly hurt and went outbound to the ER.

Another incident was someone who bought a campsite to park his boat overnight. They know sites have to be occupied so in the reservation they wrote “26’ RV” – but they came with a boat; he also registered it under his girlfriend’s name to skirt the rules. That’s a no-go for me. His answer “well, I tried” and I told him lies are not acceptable and I was disappointed (they come often). He laughed, his girlfriend however, was livid! As they left I could hear the argument way up the hill. I don’t think he had a great ride home to Taos.

What is it that makes us think truth is relative—that rules apply to you but not to me? Yet, we see it everywhere—like the father who knew his kid was mentally unfit yet he signed to help him get a deadly gun that killed 8 people in Highland Park, IL, and wounded many more and one was the young boy who survived but his spine was severed so he’ll live the rest of his life in a wheelchair. What truth, what rules did that father even think about? Yet, he talks about being a man of faith–I don’t get it.

The Apostle James made it plain when he wrote (1:22-25-Message): “Don’t fool yourself into thinking that you are a listener when you are anything but, letting the Word go in one ear and out the other. Act on what you hear! Those who hear and don’t act are like those who glance in the mirror, walk away, and two minutes later have no idea who they are, what they look like. But whoever catches a glimpse of the revealed counsel of God—the free life!—even out of the corner of his eye, and sticks with it, is no distracted scatterbrain but a man or woman of action. That person will find delight and affirmation in the action.”

Many years ago, Harry Ironside—teacher, theologian, pastor, and author who pastored Moody Church in Chicago, and an outspoken voice of faith, once said, “God forbid that we should traffic in unlived truth.” That really resonates with me because, in these days, there’s nothing the world needs more than Christians who will faithfully live out what they know to be true—not their truth—but the truth of God. Sadly we have often usurped God’s truth with our own and I don’t think the Almighty is happy with that swap.

As politics grows more corrupt and our culture—including those who profess faith in God, seems unrecognizable. Isn’t it tempting to distance ourselves from the struggle and shout disapproval instead? But that’s playing right into the enemy’s hands. There’s nothing Satan would like better than to see seasoned saints throw their hands in the air and do nothing! Already Satan is loving to see those Christians screw-the-truth-to-their-own-thinking and then shove it down others’ throats-yikes what has happened?!

If you claim faith in God then you know the truth because he has placed his Word in our hearts. That leaves us with no excuse to not live and act that truth. Think about the many times God has proven this in your life’s experiences. Did God ever leave your side, or not hear your prayers? No! God is always there and is calling all of us to faithfully live out the truth of the Gospel so a hurting world can find healing, mercy, hope and grace.

Let’s face it, if we call ourselves believers yet live out an opposite truth, what testimony do we have? What kind of a representation of God are we to others? We live in a watching world, we would do well to examine ourselves about our thinking and our “truths” and make sure they align with God. Then, and only then, will the Word imprinted on our hearts also be visible in all that we think, say and do. The world is aching for truth—make it a point to walk in God’s truth and give them the joy of faith like you have! AMEN.