Discerning the Truth

 

            The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines discernment as “the quality of being able to grasp and comprehend what is obscure.” Certainly in this age of constant media streams on phones, computers, and televisions, it can be hard to discern what is objectively true, from what is subjectively perceived to be true, from what is completely fabricated by those with nefarious intentions. For a thinking follower of the Way of Christ, the task of discerning the truth can seem insurmountable. However, those who desire to live in the Light of Love can look to five lenses through which to filter information for the truth.

            The first lens is Scripture. What does the Bible say about the topic we seek to understand better? Who wrote about it? To whom were they writing? When did they write about it? And in what language? These historical, cultural, and linguistic contexts in which the letters and essays that came to be canonized as the Bible—and here I refer to the Protestant Christian Bible; there are other canonizations held dear by other followers of the Way of Christ—these contexts are vital to an accurate interpretation of what those words meant to the people who read them in the time they were written, and what—if anything—they mean to us today. To hold that the Bible, or one’s particular favorite version of it, is the inerrant word of God and to be interpreted literally is a dangerous hermeneutic, deconstructing the texts to simple words on a page—words translated into English by a very human scholar, by the way—and removes the rich symbolic and transcendent meanings that the three contexts provide. One cannot discern the truth when one does not have all the information provided between the lines by historical, cultural, and linguistic context.

            The second lens is Reason. Throughout the history of Christianity, unscrupulous church leaders intentionally kept their congregants ignorant, using Latin as the lingua franca of the church and upholding secret and mysterious ceremonies of which only a privileged few were allowed knowledge. Women and lower-class men were subjugated to blindly follow these leaders like simple-minded sheep. They were deceived into supporting campaigns and wars that were nothing more than grabs for power of the wealthy and powerful, and never were they encouraged to think for themselves. Those who did were sometimes punished by death. But God gave us brains and intellect; and even Jesus discussed things with the Pharisees and teachers of the Law, and with Nicodemus on a rooftop by night. Jesus spoke in parables and stories which required people to think about what He was saying and not just take His words at face value. So why wouldn’t God expect us 21^st-century followers of the Way of Christ to use our gift of intellect to discern what is true? Gaining knowledge and education is always a good thing. Those who are afraid of the enlightenment that comes with education are afraid of the Light because it might show their flaws to others, and then they would be challenged to change. And change is scary and uncomfortable. Think of the first Christian men who encouraged their wives and daughters to learn to read. No doubt it was a risky endeavor: What if my wife decides she doesn’t need me and leaves? What if my daughter becomes rebellious? What if they both become smarter than I am? What if the other men laugh at me or call me weak? OK, but what if your wife and daughter become stronger, more independent, and work to make the world a better place? What if other men see the value in allowing women to think for themselves and thereby enrich their marriages and their family lives? Reason requires intellect, and intellect is a gift from God. If we do not use our gifts, God promises to take them away from us and give them to others who will use them. Your brain is where the essence of who you are resides. Make it a nice place to live and fill it with the Light of Truth.

            Tradition is the third lens. This pairs well with Reason because understanding tradition requires understanding history, which requires good critical thinking. Knowing how those who’ve come before us discerned truth in other, similar contexts enlightens our own efforts to discover the truth. Of all the lenses, this probably requires the most effort on the part of the individual. One has to dig through church history, discuss with church elders and authorities, perhaps make and compare notes, and then arrive at a conclusion. It’s hard work, but growth does not occur without effort. Lazy followers of the Way may give up at this point, but I encourage them to keep seeking the truth as it is revealed in the history of the church. I also encourage open-minded followers to look to other traditions for truths, for if something is true here and now, it is and was true there and then, as well. God has been revealing God’s self to all of humanity throughout time and in all places. The Bible indicates this is true, even claiming that creation itself is enough to make humanity aware of God’s goodness and grace (Romans 1:20).

            The fourth lens is the one I personally believe to be the most valuable for me, and it is Intuition. What does that still, small voice have to say to you? I believe that mystics from all traditions, in all places and times, who sincerely seek to know the truth of God arrive at the same or very similar conclusions by simply turning inward and listening for God’s voice within. They package it with language and symbols from their own culture, traditions, and languages, but it is essentially the same thing. We artistic and creative types understand this well. The more concrete thinkers among us seem to struggle with this approach. But the desert Mothers and Fathers, those early spiritual seekers who removed themselves from civilization to more clearly discern God’s presence, understood the value of listening to the inner voice. Buddhist monks get it. Sufis get it. That truck driver from Wyoming who spends more weeks in the year alone in her truck than with other people, who arrives at her own conclusions about who God is and what God wants for her, gets it. And this isn’t just a trait of introverts, artists, and those who spend lots of time alone. Many world leaders understood this. Lots of professional athletes and celebrities understand it. That man next door who’s always ready to lend a helping hand gets it. These are the people who hear or read something that doesn’t seem right for some reason, and while they may not be able to articulate their reasons for feeling so, they know in their hearts that God is telling them that what they’re reading or hearing either isn’t entirely true or is a flat-out lie. These are the people that cannot be easily misled by a charismatic leader, or a riled-up peer group, or a flashy news channel that profits on spreading anything but the truth.

            The fifth and final lens in my approach to discerning truth is what God and Jesus are all about, and that is Love. In any situation, when discerning what is true and good and the best course of action to take or belief to hold, for me as a follower of the Way of Christ, I look to what is ultimately the most loving course. This is the greatest quality a follower of the Way can possess, and it is the one clear indication that an individual lives in God and God in them, for God is Love. It is also the most difficult lens to apply. Interpreting Scripture is fairly easy, what with volume upon volume of sources to draw from. Reason, too, is fairly easy to apply; anybody with a brain can utilize that tool. Tradition is accessible to those, like me, who have a long history of church affiliation. And Intuition is constantly present, sometimes loudly and uncomfortably so. But applying the lens of love requires me to forget myself, to put aside my pride and my ambition and my fear, and to look at what Love Itself would do or think in my place. For as a follower of the Way of Christ, am I not called to embody the Way, which is love? It is easy to talk about and write about, but it is extremely difficult to practice because of my selfishness and self-centeredness, which in my belief system is “sin.” Love calls us to live in peaceful and harmonious community with everyone, for we are all connected by Love. Discerning that truth is the beginning to actualizing the Kingdom of God among us which Jesus spoke of.

            These five lenses—Scripture, Reason, Tradition, Intuition, and Love—are my filters for discerning truth as a follower of the Way of Christ. The opinions of mentors, teachers, role models, elders, and significant others are valuable, too; but in the end, I decide for myself what is true for me with God’s guidance and help. And overarching all of those is Love. May Love shed light on the truth for us all. Amen.