Reality is better than truth...

Reality is better than than truth, here is why...

As a kid growing up in the 80's the commercials and hype about the original Nintendo NES, the 8 bit video game system that would change your life was truth. But it wasn't reality until you become a plumber and saved a princess, shot ducks and the dog that laughed at you, or found out why Zelda was a legend, using a controller with only an A and B button.

All games a side, reality is better than truth.

We read and hear the staggering statics of how many people are starving in the world, we even see pictures and videos showing this devastation. It's truth, it's fact, it's happening and we know it. But it's not reality till you have walked into a village in another country, or came in contact with someone across town and seen  it first hand, it's real and now is a reality.

It's truth that we are supposed to love our neighbor. Love your neighbor is directly after the golden rule, so it's the silver rule then right? It's part of our mission statement, a tag line in many churches, and something we seek to do . It's truth, love your neighbor.  But it's not reality, it's not real, till you actually do it.  It's not real till you have been wronged, and gossiped about yet you continue to love and forgive. It's not real until you love, those who curse, mistreat, and can't even repay you. Luke 6:32 "If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even "sinners" love those who love them." Real love is loving without expecting an thank you, a reward, or maybe eve a smile.

Jesus came to seek and save the lost. That's truth, that is the Gospel. But the reality is much better than the truth, I was once lost and was found, and Jesus saved me.

How Ya Feeling?

I'm sitting in the doctors office right now. Waiting. Thankfully, I'm not sick. The reason I'm here is for a check up.

I began thinking about how we fool ourselves. I'm ok on the outside, so everything must be okay on the inside. Then you hear things like high blood pressure, high sugar, cancer. You say, not me, I'm healthy. It's a medical denial. Chances are you have seen it too.

There is a temptation in Christianity to do the same. Look at the outside only. At church you are all smiles and you look like nothing ever goes wrong. Someone says how are you? You say fine or maybe something like too blessed to be depressed! We both know the truth though. Life isn't perfect. Are you blessed? Yes. Should we complain? Probably not. But a lie? I hope not!

The truth is things have gotten out of sync. Our Spiritual blood pressure is out of whack. We are struggling with a spiritual cancer we haven't addressed yet. Why? The sooner you address it, the higher the survival rate, the more effective the treatment will be.

If it is important that we not skip our check ups and physical examines, it is more important that we not forgo doing a spiritual checkup. Maybe instead of opening up our mouth and saying "ah" so much, we need to open up the scriptures and say "oh".

all about Christ,
David

Truth or Consequences

In studying leadership many times we study the triumphs, success stories, and the good to great moments . But I think we can also learn from the pitfalls, train wrecks and mistakes leaders make. One I have seen this past week is that leaders must strive for honesty and truth. 

Two high profile collegiate coaches at high profile colleges have either been suspended for several games or fired completely because of honesty. They have great records, won more games than their predecessor, and taken their teams from good to great, but they came up against the powerhouse in the division, truth, and they were defeated.   

Proverbs 12:19 Truthful lips endure forever, but a lying tongue lasts only a moment. Lying leaders last only a moment as well. 

Once a leader's words and actions can no longer be trusted, the consequences are costly.