Devotion - Thursday, March 7

I am going to step away from my comments on Romans today in order to address the concluding verse of our Gospel lesson. 

John 8:32 reads - "You will know the truth, and the truth will make you free."  And indeed it does.

Pope John XXIII restated this verse with a twist.  His quote is cut into the paper relief in my office - a gift from my wife (she majored in art at UGA.)  Just this week, the relief and quote was noticed by a student for the first time.  I really ought to hang it in a more prominent location.

The quote reads:  "The truth will set you free, but first it will make you miserable."  And indeed it does.

The truth is that we don't have to live lives of insecurity - but we shy away from the depth of Christ's love for us.

The truth is that we only hurt ourselves when we gossip - but we continue to run others down thinking this will somehow build us up.

The truth is that amassing more and more stuff (money) seems like a good idea - but none of that stuff will unite us with others in the way that a few hours of service can.

The truth is that we have freedom - total and complete freedom - set before us but we choose to remain captive to the illusions of the culture around us.

I am the one who sees the paper relief and reads the quote when someone trusts me enough to invite me into their lives by sitting in the office and opening their heart.  As they share their struggle, I try to help them see the truth which lies so close at hand, but too often evades their grasp.  I know the truth, God has revealed to it to me, but I am miserable as I seek to help the truth take root in the hearts, minds, and lives of God's children.

The truth makes us free.  In that freedom we see how the world can be, and is.  But too often darkness is chosen and truth is allowed to slip into the shadows.  What a miserable state of affairs!  And so totally unnecessary.