“He that judgeth of all things as they are, and not as they are said or esteemed to be is truly wise, and taught rather of God than men.”
Thomas a Kempis
“All your children shall be taught by the Lord, and great shall be the prosperity of your children. In righteousness you shall be established…”
Isaiah 54:13-14a
Sometimes we have difficulty seeing things as they are rather than as we are told that they are or as we want them to be. Reality can be harsh, and so too often true reality is traded in for a more comfortable version. We may not even be aware of what we are doing. Relinquishing truth can be as easy as listening to a favorite writer, reporter, or pastor. If I choose not to verify what I am hearing, I am susceptible to believing that which is not true.
Could some of this willingness to embrace a false reality come from a wrong understanding of God?
Reality is harsh. Society is falling. Things are bad. I can believe that bad is good. Or I can close my eyes to what is happening so that I can live in blissful ignorance. The underlying issue might be a lack of understanding of the power and goodness of God. If things are bad, God can’t be good. If things are going the wrong way, God must not have the power to change them.
Yet God is often powerfully at work in the midst of the evil around us. God often shows His love and goodness where the darkest attacks take place. If I am willing to see God for who He is, instead of feeling hopeless I can become a part of the mission of God, bringing goodness and change in the midst of the hurt and evil.
Let’s look for a moment at personal reality. Many of us, at one time or another, have closed our eyes to the reality of our own failings. To admit that we have done the wrong thing means condemnation. Condemnation brings rejection. So instead we keep pushing down the problems and posturing ourselves to look like we’re okay.
Did you know that God doesn’t reveal the truth of our failings to bring condemnation? Did you know that God reveals truth to us so that we can be reconciled and prosper? Our world uses our failings against us when they are exposed. God exposes our failings so that we can grow and live abundantly. The world reduces us to our lowest acts. God raises us up in redeeming power of Jesus that we might live (as Isaiah explains) in prosperity and be established in righteousness.
The choice is ours. We can continue to close our eyes to reality and live as the unwise; or we can allow God to open our eyes and live out His plan for us. This is true wisdom.
Lord, we have been taught from early ages that failures bring condemnation. We have been taught to trust the voices that speak a message we want to hear. Help us to unlearn what we need to release that we would learn from You – be taught by You. May we see things as they are, knowing that You bring acts of goodness to the darkest places. May we see ourselves for who we are, knowing that You bring healing, restoration, and reconciliation. May we reject the false understanding that reality brings disaster and condemnation, and instead choose to be taught by You, knowing that we can trust You fully to love and restore.