Cody's Corner: Is TRUTH on LIFE-SUPPORT here in America?

“When regard for truth has been broken down or even slightly weakened, all things will remain doubtful.” -St Augustine

The beauty of truth has been on my mind for quite some time. In the current climate of our country we see Isaiah 59:13-15 come alive before our eyes, “rebellion and treachery against the Lord,   turning our backs on our God, inciting revolt and oppression, uttering lies our hearts have conceived. So justice is driven back, and righteousness stands at a distance; truth has stumbled in the streets, honesty cannot enter. Truth is nowhere to be found, and whoever shuns evil becomes a prey. The Lord looked and was displeased  that there was no justice.”

Is truth on life-support in this country? Is there no one who walks with integrity, or cares about honor anymore? Who can we look to that embodies such things? Sadly, it seems like even if there was someone who was full of honor, integrity, and truth we would not even believe them unless they were of the political party or social movement we identified with. I would even go as far to say that if there were such a person nowadays that we would not even know what to do with them, and most would probably end up hating someone who just always tried to do what was right.

If we could put Truth back in a high and valued position at every level of our lives we would be better off, and so would our country. If we would value truth in our own lives even in the places we like to lie to ourselves, we would overcome many personal issues. If we were honest with our struggles, we would not pretend to be fine all the time, and we would find help in the day of trouble while also be a help to those around us in their day of trouble. If we would value truth in our families, things would be addressed in a timely manner instead of troubles bubbling under the surface until it explodes creating a mess.

This goes for everyone from the parents to the children, and of course I am talking about truth with love and grace alongside it. Some of the problems in our families come from the lie that we cannot hurt anyone’s feelings, and nobody can tell anybody how to think, feel, or act. I think we have seen the fruit of only loving family members or people when they are completely wrong, and it is not pretty or beneficial for that person long-term. If we would value truth in our country again, we would see justice restored, trust renewed, and honesty entering every part of our lives again.

This would mean that the law would have to be applied equally to everyone regardless of anything that could make a difference. It would not matter what political party, what ethnicity, what socioeconomic status, what last name, or anything else that makes anyone think they are “special”, if you broke the law you would suffer consequences for it. The person breaking the law would actually hope to receive mercy at the courts instead of how it is today, where it seems like we do everything possible to make sure nobody suffers consequences for any bad decision much less a totally evil action that was made with no remorse.

Once truth is restored to its’ rightful position, then lies become evident and clear. People of all walks of life rise up and call out what is wrong, and they are celebrated for it. We used to know what that was like. Unfortunately, our younger generations have only seen division, hate, and people be vilified, “cancelled”, or completely shamed for speaking truth. This is especially true for Christian youth. If you do not believe me have your son, daughter, or grandson or granddaughter post a Bible verse on social media and let them show you the reactions they get. I long for the days when biblical truth, biblical morality, and brotherly love are restored in this country. It might not happen on this earth again until our God remakes heaven and earth, but one can hope.

The above quote is true, and I pray that we have a sense of shared truth, common sense, logic, and rational thinking renewed in this country so that everything will not be shaken by so much doubt. Since we spend all our time arguing, being upset, and choosing sides we have missed the opportunity to try to work for unity through truth. If we could take a step back, realize nobody is perfect, no side is perfect, and we all could accomplish more together maybe we could have a real conversation.

That would be a beginning to something beautiful, and maybe a way to start mending and healing as a nation. Truth would have to be front and center, and all sides would have to work on not letting emotions take over. This would cause us to actually listen to the other side and possibly mature as individuals, and I am not sure we want or could handle that with as immature as we are today.

Make no mistake there are things that Christians and unbelievers will never agree over. There are even things worth fighting for and dying for. Freedom of Speech, Freedom of Religion, and other freedoms would go on that list for me. I just wonder if Truth will ever be able to enter into the conversations that people have anymore, or will it just be sensational half-truths that have people only responding with emotions that will cause a irreparable rift in the greatest country on this earth?