Many feel betrayed by our government because of the recent pandemic. Credible reports draw into question the involvement of our government, the CDC, ‘Big Pharma,’ and even our health care system. Truth seems elusive.
How am I supposed to find the truth? I do not have the background and skill to analyze and evaluate all the medical claims that are being made. Many claim to have the truth and claim to report the truth. I don’t know who to trust.
It is my guess that if we have a future pandemic scare, many people, like me, simply will not believe, will not listen unless people are falling down in the streets with obvious ailments.
Many feel betrayed by religion, especially after the many reports of trusted church leaders committing crimes. And then there was the highly publicized split in the Methodist church. On top of that, the history of Christianity is not stellar. There are so many different churches that a person can find a church that will teach what he/she already believes. Truth seems elusive. In fact, for every preacher, pastor, priest, pope, commentator, or scholar that claims to have the truth, someone out there will validate it and someone else will raise doubts about it.
Like wading through the mire of medical misinformation, trying to discover truth through religious institutions can be mind-numbing. So, how do you find truth?
One’s attitude is of greatest importance regarding the question of truth.
Personally, I don’t expect to find truth in the area of health and medicine because I’ve given up. Sadly, many have adopted that attitude regarding God and spiritual truth. That was the attitude of Pontius Pilate when Jesus spoke about truth. He asked Jesus, “What is truth?” but did not wait for an answer. His was a question of exasperation not expecting to be able to discover truth.
Some people have put up a wall of rejection as if to say, “You can’t tell me anything.” They are like the Pharisees of Jesus day who would not listen to anyone. (Read John 9.) Their minds are already made up.
Some people are pretenders. They will talk about God and spiritual things, but they will only tell you what they think. Other pretenders make verbal jabs by presenting impossible-to-answer questions or by contradicting things spoken by others. Some of the Pharisees and Sadducees were like that. (Read Matthew 22.)
A person who truly wishes to find truth must have the proper attitude toward truth.
- Those who are exasperated and no longer believe truth can be found will never find truth. They are not even looking.
- Those who already have their minds made up will never find truth. They possess it!
- The pretenders are just that, pretending to be interested in truth. They are really only interested in themselves.
Jesus told a parable about “a merchant seeking fine pearls, and upon finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it.” (Matthew 13:45-46) Those who are truly interested in truth search for it with the same attitude as that of the pearl merchant.
Truth is found by those who diligently search for it because they know it exists, and because they understand its value.
Truth is priceless.
Mark Stinnett
Mark Stinnett
May 7, 2023
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