I remember those faces to this day, although they’ve all changed now. Faces change rapidly from kindergarten to high school and beyond. It was more than a decade ago, and it was amazing. A time of innocent faith and trust. (It was my first Sunday school class and the children’s pastors promised the children wouldn’t hurt me. And they didn’t!
I learned so much. (Do you know that when you’re seven years old you can defeat the devil with a water balloon thrown in Jesus’ name? I’ve seen it!)
The statute of limitations has expired now, so it’s safe to tell that I never picked up my class curriculum. I asked the Holy Spirit what He wanted for those amazing people, and He is fun. I learned the Holy Spirit knows everyone individually and He is capable to teach everyone, varied as we are, in unusual ways, but today’s topic is “True? or Truth?”
We taught on John 14:6 for six weeks! (I’m a slow learner.) Each week during that time we had a short game time where I would say one sentence. The participants had to decide whether that sentence was true or truth. They got quite good at discerning which was which. How did they learn to tell the difference? It’s important to know that what’s true isn’t always Truth.
Jesus is Truth. Not everything is. Here’s an example I remember. “Caroline is wearing a pink shirt.” True or Truth?
Everyone could look at Caroline and quickly see that she was indeed wearing a pink shirt. The participant said “Truth”, which was incorrect according to our criteria, so they didn’t get to shoot for a prize on that turn.
Is that cruel? I don’t think so. Everyone doesn’t win all the time. They all learned by not getting rewarded every time they tried, but that’s another topic for a “rant day” blog.
Over six weeks, though, every child got to go for a prize and I pray that each of them can still remember that what they see right now may not be truth, even when it looks like it.
Truth does not change. What is true today can be “untrue” tomorrow. In that example, I knew Caroline’s mom would not have her in that same shirt the next day, and it might be green. “Jesus is the same yesterday, and today, and forever” is Truth. The Word is as unchanging as the One who became The Word made flesh.
It is important to know what’s Truth and what’s not, and that lesson must not end in a childhood Sunday school room. It didn’t take long for those brilliant children to learn that when I gave them a sentence out of the Bible in my hand, the answer was always Truth.
It’s still important for us as adults to realize that circumstances are temporary while the Word is not. We can be sidetracked by circumstances. Let’s apply the simple question. “Is it changeable?” If the answer is “Yes”, it’s temporary and subject to the power of God in the name of Jesus. Lack, sickness, despair…all temporary and all subject to change by the unchangeable Word Himself. Know the Truth and trust in it. Fear leaves.
We will live victorious lives in Christ if we do not walk by sight. (We will live longer if we drive by sight, though.
The Word, Jesus, is Truth. He does not change. As a reminder that true isn’t always Truth, just go to Facebook and you’ll see those (then ages 4, 5, 7, 10 ) faces have changed. They are still amazing, but they have grown and changed.
And the Word in John 14:6 is still the same. Jesus IS THE … Truth.
For His Glory 