The more we pay for any truth, the better is our bargain.
~William Law
He said to them, “You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I am he you will die in your sins.” So they said to Him, “Who are You?” Jesus said to them, “Just what I have been telling you from the beginning. I have much to say about you and much to judge, but He who sent Me is True, and I declare to the world what I have heard from Him.” They did not understand that He had been speaking to them about the Father. So Jesus said to them, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and that I do nothing on My own authority, but speak just as the Father taught Me. And He Who sent Me is with Me. He has not left Me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to Him.” As He was saying these things, many believed in Him. … So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are truly My disciples, and you will know the Truth, and the Truth will set you free.” They answered Him, “We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that You say, ‘You will become free’?” …. Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin. The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. I know that you are offspring of Abraham; yet you seek to kill Me because My word finds no place in you. I speak of what I have seen with My Father, and you do what you have heard from your father.”
~ Jesus, King of The Universe – and The Truth Himself, in John 8
Oh beloved, it is true.
This fool of a writer is one of the most blessed men to have ever lived. G_d has given me more opportunities than nearly any other person i have ever met. Truly, there is little that i can take credit for. He has given me an intelligent mind, incredible educational opportunities, multiple cultures to live in, and a number of industries in which i have participated.
Now, as many of you have read, i tried very hard to throw it all away. My forays into addiction and self-pity were fueled by bitterness and fear. And this toxic sludge was truly killing me. But thankfully, up in the mountains of Arizona many years ago – while quite literally dying – SomeOne used Truth to wake me up.
I was taking a nap in a cabin after not feeling well at all. Something was very wrong with my body. But, as i dozed, i was suddenly jolted awake by some very clear data. I could not really breathe, my strength was gone, and it became exceedingly clear that the next few minutes might be my last if i did not take action… And the truth of this moment drove me to somehow get up and tell some people in the place that i needed help, and needed it right now.
Thankfully, an emergency paramedic crew did save me. They took in more data, and realized that i was bleeding internally, and the quick reaction of the medic to the truth he was seeing – saved me. And, over the coming months, this little moment did much to save me from much of the idiocy into which i had fallen over the years.
For me, the realization came from the relationship between two of my educational backgrounds. In my undergrad, i had studied Theology and Youth Ministry. But, i had approached it as though it were merely some interesting (albeit important) area of study… And, it was not until my further training as an engineer that my first degree made any sense.
Can we see it?
Engineers can. They live a life in their work that is utterly dependant on two things: 1) Finding the truth about a problem, and 2) allowing that truth to help them solve problems.
If a device is overheating, one must explore the problem and submit to the laws of thermodynamics to allow the unit to perform properly.
If a widget is cracking or failing due to stress, one must apply the rigors of materials science to develop a solution.
If an electronic device keeps crashing, binary language and electrical engineering must be the guides to stability.
If an airplane is to fly, aerospace engineers absolutely must submit to the laws of aerodynamics.
And the funny thing?
You will almost never (ever) hear an engineer complain about reality, or begin to think that they can take good data and ignore it. They realize that what is true, is simply true. And that this truth is an incredibly freeing thing, in that it eliminates quintillions of other possibilities in a complex problem.
And this is what happened to me over the years. It struck me (i am often dense) that Jesus was saying something very similar to what engineers say. Truth is real. Truth does not change. Truth is an incredibly powerful agent of freedom.
This is why Jesus only spoke what His Father spoke, etc. They Two were in a Spirit of total agreement with reality. And this guaranteed Their ascendency beyond merely being everywhere and all-powerful. Truth makes G_d simple. All of Him is everywhere at all times. There are no loose edges to pull on, or to pull Them apart.
Hopefully, the point is clear here: why do we fight Truth? Even the lower, physical sciences and disciplines understand that sticking to reality is the only way through a problem. So, why is it that we, who claim to know The Truth Himself, are willing to try and bend things to our own opinions?
Tonight is your night, beloved. Time to allow Truth to speak to you in the same way that good engineers let data speak to them.
Truth is not a thought, not a word, not a relationship between things, not a law. Truth is a Person. It is a Being which exceeds all beings and gives life to all. If you seek truth with love and for the sake of love, she will reveal the light of His face to you inasmuch as you are able to bear it without being burned.
~St. Nicholas of Serbia
