The Voice of Truth

“I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.6 If you know me, you will know my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.7” John 14: 6-7 NRSV

There is a great amount of research out there on exactly how many times each day the average US citizen is exposed to advertising messages. The numbers range from around 500 to over 3000 exposures and includes TV, radio, billboards, print, point of sale, transit and mail. Regardless of which numbers you think are accurate, it is obvious that we are bombarded with messages telling us everything about how we should dress, what type of car we should buy, what type of mayo we should use and that we really do need a bloomin’ onion before we eat a delicious steak and baked potato from down under. Television shows and movies have also been increasing the number of product placements, prominently showing the brands of the companies that pay to have their product used by the actors for 10 seconds on screen.

New technologies and the boom of reality television have also created a convergence of media strategies that offer more opportunities for advertisers to target messages and learn more detailed information about our media consumption habits. Reality television has continued to grow in its scope and popularity and is the most successful format today. This growth has seen reality TV shift from portraying reality to actually defining reality in our society.

This onslaught of constant advertising and reality TV is troubling to me, especially when you look at the content of the messages. They all seem to be telling us that we don’t have the right look, we are not talented enough, and that we are just not good enough. “America voted, and your journey ends tonight.” “The tribe has spoken, and you have been voted off the island!” “You failed this stage of the race and you are going home.” It is as if we feed off the misery of others. Somehow our society seems to have a voyeuristic appetite for failure and rejection.

I personally think this is unhealthy. Our minds are like sponges, they absorb whatever we expose them to. If we surround ourselves with negativity or heavy doses of critical messages, we will begin to think that way. Can we expect to be confident in our abilities and have a positive outlook if we bathe in negativity?

Confession time! I fall victim to this as well. I think we all live with doubts about our abilities at some point or another. In most people it may occur in one area of their life and not be present in other areas. For a couple of years, I have really felt like God was leading me to begin to write some things down. I said in earlier blog that I really have no idea why He wants me to do this. I never thought of myself as a good writer, I always felt more confident in math and the social sciences. So it was hard for me to accept the idea that God would want me to write something.

At first I was thinking a book, but that never felt right. Then the blog idea came into my head but I kept putting it off. I told myself that no one would be interested in what I have to say or think about anything. Then this past December I was out blowing the vast quantities of leaves out of my yard and a song began to play on my iPod. Remember how cold it was this December. I had on a pair of thermals under my jeans, a polartec, a heavy jacket, gloves, earmuffs and, of course, a Shorter College hat. My earbuds were securely in place under the earmuffs and the sound quality was quite good. I was listening to my “Christian Pop” playlist. I have another playlist that has old gospel classics on it, we’re talking Florida Boys, Happy Goodmans, The Speers. Anyway, the song “Voice of Truth” by Casting Crowns was playing and it was as if everything got silent when the second verse began to play. The blower noise faded out, the sting of the cold left my face and these words just forced themselves to the front of my consciousness.

Oh what I would do to have
The kind of strength it takes to stand before a giant
With just a Sling and a stone
Surrounded by the sound of a thousand warriors
Shaking in their armor
Wishing they'd have had the strength to stand

But the giant's calling out my name and he laughs at me
Reminding me of all the times I've tried before and failed
The giant keeps on telling me
Time and time again "boy, you'll never win!
"You'll never win"

But the voice of truth tells me a different story
and the voice of truth says "Do not be afraid!"
and the voice of truth says "This is for My glory!”
Out of all the voices calling out to me
I will choose to listen and believe the voice of truth.

It is not about what I think people want to hear. It is not about what other people may think of me. As a Christian all I should care about is being obedient to God. And the voice of truth says "This is for My glory!"

I think the Voice of Truth gets drowned out in our lives. We are so bombarded with messages from every corner of society that we don’t make time to listen to God. You wake up late and have to hit the door running to take kids to school and then go to work, run errands and fifty other responsibilities. You have worked a long hard day, taken care of things at home and then you want to crash and go to sleep. When do we make time to listen to God? I think I am guilty of treating God like a fast-food drive thru window. “Okay, God. I’ll take a “forgive me of my sins” platter, a side of blessings for me and my family, and a large cup of mercy and assistance for all my friends who are struggling right now. Could I get that in the biggie size today?”

Do I actually make time to listen? “Be still and know that I am God” Psalm 46:10. The psalmist had it right. I need to put myself in a quiet place, forget about all of the things happening around me and just listen to God. I need to listen to the Voice of Truth. I believe God has something for each of us to do. How will we ever know His will for our life if we don’t stop and listen?

What is The Voice of Truth calling you to do?