There is a phrase from William Shakespeare’s play Hamlet — also the title of a book — that says, “To thine own self be true.”  In many ways it’s a safeguard against living a life that doesn’t fully and accurately represent who we are.  Of course, a part of the problem is many people never seek to discover who they are — I mean, who they really are — what defines them; what gives them and their lives purpose; what we ultimately lay claim to when we awaken each morning and go to bed each night.  When we yoke ourselves together with Christ, there is a certain lifestyle expectancy that invites us to live with an unparalleled level of integrity, to avoid the games people play about what they want and don’t want so that we don’t get caught up in their drama.  It’s because some people will approach us with the idea that there are many truths.  “The notion that there are many truths might seem well suited to a diverse culture.  But when everyone is free to define truth as he or she prefers, as at present, the result is an intellectual and moral shouting match in which the people with the loudest voices are most likely to be heard.”[1]  Additionally, it enables us to resist those who don’t believe in us or what we’re trying to accomplish in Christ’s name.  It empowers us to avoid those who seek to sabotage our best efforts and prevent us from becoming more Christlike.  In someways this text is about avoiding people — the wrong people — those who seek to destroy the truth about who we say we are in Christ.  And in another way, it encourages us to allow the light of Christ to shine brightly so that others may be illumined by the victory of the light and truth of Christ within us.

• What “other truths” have worked to sabotage or alter your truth in ways that would have you compromise your faith?
• What is the best way to prevent sabotage by others from happening”

[1] Mary Lefkowitz, Classical Studies Professor at Wellesley College, in New York Times Book Review (January 23, 2000)

Todays Prayer

Today’s Prayer —
Almighty God, empower me to live with the truth about who I am in You. Enable me to resist alternate truths designed to make me deny who I am as a child of God.

         There is such a stark difference between stumbling around in the dark and turning on a light.  Many a toe has been stubbed and ankle twisted — perhaps even a fall because we chose to walk around in the dark of our homes rather than turning on the light.  Now, multiply and magnify the failures we experience on our life’s journey when we go places and we can’t see the way or go places where we don’t know the war (darkness of the mind) or simply stumble through life in the dark because we choose (or chose) to follow those who were already walking in the dark.  And yet when we encountered Jesus, truths about our trek through the darkness were suddenly illumined.  Suddenly — not all at once, but quickly enough — the way became much brighter, the pathway much clearer, we could see our missteps, wrong turns, and the traps that were laid by the enemy to trip us up.  Because of Jesus, the truth and light he brings into our lives enables us to walk through life.  And yes, we still may be sheep who sometimes go astray, finding our way back to the darkness, but it is the light and truth of Christ who helps us find our way back to the path Christ would have us travel.  Praise God for our willingness to face our truth and the triumph we experience because of Jesus Christ.

• Have there been times in your life when you recognized the difference between your life before Christ and your life after committing to Christ?
• What would you say was the pivotal point of God’s truth becoming victorious in your life?

Todays Prayer

Today’s Prayer —
Gracious Christ, thank you for being the light that allowed me to see more clearly that I should follow You. Your light has led me out of the darkness

         We all have a past that trails us, things in our closet that we don’t want others to see, and mistakes in life we’ve made that we don’t want others to know about.  And it’s difficult for us to face the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth about who we were before Christ.  As one United Methodist Confessional reads, “We’re afraid to admit — even to ourselves — what lies in the depths of our souls,”  And what may be even more frightening is when we realize that there are already some people that know our history and are all too willing to share it with others.  That’s our dark side.

         On the other hand, our relationship with Christ has changed us in ways that — to some who knew us before — seem unbelievable.  And in many ways, they believe it was us who made the change when in reality, it was all Christ.  We were unworthy of God’s love and God knew it.  But it was by God’s mercy that God looked beyond our faults and saw our needs.  And that’s the truth of the matter.  Grace and truth came by Jesus Christ, and we were only recipients of that gift.  As Scripture so beautifully reminds us, “17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.” (John 1 17).  And so, we now live on the light side — the side of truth — triumphant over death, and by the grace of God in Jesus Christ who gifts this mercy to us.  And once again, truth prevails triumphant over the darkness of our lives.

• What foolish or disobedient things from your past are you most grateful that Christ saved you from?
• How has facing the truth about your past made that truth triumphant in your life?

Todays Prayer

Today’s Prayer —
Merciful God, thank you for looking beyond my faults and offering Your mercy which saved me by Your grace. Help me to always live with the truth of Christ that triumphed over my reckless ways.