Series: The Word
John 14:6 ESV
Isaiah 55:8-9 ESV
Growing up in my house truth was always a big deal. My Mom talked a lot about it. While my dad didn’t talk about it a lot, he practiced truth.
Allow me to explain.
My dad would ask me a question about something.
I would think about it.
If I knew I was going to get in trouble, I would try to word my answer in such a way as to tell truth (but maybe not all the truth) and then change the subject. I know today that’s called ‘deflection’.
I was trying to get my dad off track so he didn’t notice I told a half truth.
He would give me ‘his look’.
Then I would look up at the ceiling. That was because I didn’t want to look at him.
The problem with that is my dad really really did have the gift of long-suffering. He was patient and kind but he did NOT give up.
Eventually I would try to sneak a peak at him to see if I was out of the dog house yet.
Every every every time he was still looking at me.
Then I would break down and I would usually cry.
Then I would end up telling him the truth. The whole truth.
To this day I can’t figure out why on earth I thought my system of telling half the truth would work. It never did.
That’s because Jesus was IN my dad.
Jesus was in me as well but I hadn’t figured everything out about that yet.
I knew truth and I just needed to stop running from it.
I have to add that I don’t remember my dad punishing my physically when I was trying to tell him half the truth. Looking back, I think he knew the struggle I was experiencing was punishment enough.
He knew in time I would get on board the truth train.
In John 14:6 we read, “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
I think Jesus was faced with a similar problem with His disciples. They were good Jewish boys who were raised in the Jewish faith of their fathers but Jesus was a whole different story.
They would have known what “this is the way” meant but Jesus told them, “I am the way.”
They didn’t know what that meant.
They could have known “this is the truth” but Jesus told then “I am truth”.
That would have been confusing.
They might have heard “this is life” but no one had said to them “I am life.”
So, how could they have understood.
I think that’s why Jesus told them they could hang out with Him. Jesus knew it would take time but they would eventually catch on.
Still, He had his work cut out for Him. Jesus knew in order for them to accept Him they would need to spend time with him.
They would need to see His love. As Jesus loved them, they would love Him back in return.
Jesus knew in time they would see His way, they would understand the truth, and they would choose life.
Jesus knew in Synagogue they would have heard the words of the prophet Isaiah. We read in Isaiah 55:8-9, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”
Jesus knew it would take time for them to learn His way, His truth.
My dad helped me to learn Jesus’ truth, Jesus’ way, and Jesus’ life.
Patiently, ever so carefully he exhibited truth, and love, and the way of Jesus.
Gradually, ever so gradually, I learned the way, the truth, and the life. Day by day. Month by month. Year after year I learned. I also had good Sunday School teachers that taught the stories of Jesus. Week after week, month after month, year after year, I learned.
I don’t know that I was as patient as my dad, but I also taught my children that truth matters. I told them the way of Jesus is THE Way.
My children learned just like I learned that Jesus IS life.
Now…they teach their children just like my dad taught me that God’s ways are higher and truth matters.
It really is the circle of life and I’m grateful for it.
Spiritual Practice: Remember
Remember who taught you and thank God for them.
In God, Deborah
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