When I am disconnected from the gospel truth about me I get very self-saving, usually at the expense of everyone else. I imagine that I need my money, my time, control, etc. Jesus can only be followed if I believe that in fact in the light of the resurrection I now get to be extravagantly liberal with what really amounts to confederate money. The kind of lavish freedom Jesus describes which appears so costly it is normally disregarded as impractical is itself an expression of deep joy based on the truth that normally seems so fleeting.

How we interact with our assertions of the truth is really complex. Experience, motivation, relationships, ego all quickly get involved along with limitations of language and communication. It’s further complicated by our capacity to discover truth via someone else’s words.

The gospels assert that Jesus made a great many statements that were so audacious for that context his death was all but certain. People today seldom catch on. They cough at the virgin birth but “all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.” Um. Talk about straining gnats and swallowing camels! One of my favorites is Luke 4:18-21, the Nazareth Manifesto. Jesus declares the end of the age of decay after which people rightly seek to end his life.

I don’t think Jesus didn’t want to turn the light on for people with regard to truth, he was just multi-faceted in his approach. Some learn by hearing (teaching), some learn by seeing (signs and actions) some learn by doing (follow me).

It also seems that the more convinced one is of their connection to the truth the less anxious they need to be about it. Certainly of course is no guarantee of veracity but fear and frenzy seem more easily tied.

Thanks for your posts. pvk

I pray that we can find the right balance without slipping into some kind of listless relativism.