Perceptions, Truth and Backwoods Math!

Before you read today’s blog, take time and watch the attached video clip. It will give you a little more insight as you read the devotional.

Thanks,

JC

Perceptions, Truth and Backwoods Math!
John Clardy

John 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

Have you ever tried to justify your actions or behavior by saying, “But, I was sincere!” The fact remains that even in your sincerity, wrong is wrong no matter how badly you want it to be right.

Too often we believe that perceptions are truths, when in fact nothing could be farther from the truth. Our perceptions may seem so right that seem real to us. But, just because our perceptions are real, it does not necessarily make them true.

Here is the problem with perceptions - they are selective and they are influenced by our biases and prejudices. They often cause us to focus on certain information as proof of our beliefs and to disregard any information that is greater in its disproof of those same beliefs.

Have you ever heard of Ma and Pa Kettle? This was a famous Black and White TV show back in the beginning years of television about a backwoods family. They were always having difficulty grasping things outside of their perceptions. If they perceived it, it was true to them no matter how many times someone tried to show them differently. They were legends in their own mind!

If you watched the video clip above of Ma and Pa Kettle you saw an illustration of how some people’s perceptions though real, are still in contradiction to truth.

Ma and Pa Kettle were convinced that what they perceived as the proper way to do math gave them an answer that was correct. But just because they perceived that 5x5=14, it didn’t matter. The truth is that 5x5=25! Not just once, but every time. It is not subjective, it is absolute.

We are constantly being bombarded with political correctness. Everywhere you turn, someone is promoting tolerance, but one thing is for sure: Jesus was never politically correct. He did not tolerate something just because it was expedient, popular or expected. He always stood for truth.

In John 18:38, when Jesus was brought before Pontius Pilate, Pilate asked the question, “What is truth?” He was so confused and concerned about being politically correct that he didn’t even have clue as to what was truth.

Truth was standing before him. Not as a perception, but as a person and he couldn’t even recognize it!

I thank God for the Word! It is truth! It remains! It is absolute! Heaven and Earth shall pass away, but the Word of God – Truth is eternal!

When it comes to things that are temporal, it may be all right to take a chance on perceptions or backwoods math, but when eternal salvation and spiritual freedom are involved I choose to know the truth! And the knowledge of that truth will make me free!

Just Sayin...