Mike Criswell
Several times a week, I visit at least one of our local coffee shops. It’s a habit that helps me get up and out of the house! I like coffee, but my visits are more about buying office space than beverages. I go to coffee to read, write, study, and sometimes watch life! With the price of coffee these days, I’d probably be better off staying home. Even “Americanos” are expensive! For the uninitiated, “Americanos” are espressos diluted to about a 1 to 4 ratio of espresso and plain hot water. In other words, you’re mostly paying for water.
The story behind the “Americano” is interesting. Apparently, during WW2 American soldiers stationed in Italy didn’t like the strong, robust espressos that the Italians drank. And so, to make their coffee more like the weaker drip coffee back home, they just added water. Well, the name (Americano) was coined more than likely to poke a bit of fun at the wimpy tastebuds of the soldiers from the United States!
So, what’s my point? Well, there’s a spiritual question here. When we decide to dilute (change) something, how far can we go without destroying the original? With coffee, that decision is a matter of personal taste. But what about eternal matters? For example, how much can we water down the truth before it becomes a lie?
Ironically, the answer is both simple and complex. The simple answer is that we should never intentionally change the truth! Genuine truth, by definition, is objective and doesn’t vacillate over time. This is because legitimate truth has its foundation in the attributes of an immutable God. On the other hand, “truth” is often interpreted through the standard of a subjective lens. In other words, perception is far too often the bigger part of our own reality. Thus, we believe something to be “true” when it isn’t. So, how do we discern truth, and how do we avoid turning “truth” into a “lie?”
Those of us who deal in abstract concepts (religion, philosophy) often find ourselves in tension between what we “know” and what we “believe.” Frankly, I know very little, empirically speaking! But I believe in a lot of things. For example, I believe in God. But why? Not because I’ve literally seen God, but because I have seen the evidence for God.
In short, solid evidence is paramount in the discovery of truth. And it’s up to us to “seek and find” (Mt 7:7). God has sprinkled plenty of confirmation in nature and in supernatural revelation to put us on the right track. But it’s up to us to search a bit! In my view, the best place to start the search for truth is with the Bible. It has superb evidential backing! But just a word of caution. In your quest, don’t let the complexities of life discourage you. It’s easy to get confused and begin to add our biases and opinions to the point we are unsure if there even is truth. Or it’s easy to water down the truth to the point we no longer think it makes any demands on us. The truth will change us. It will make demands on us. But it will set us free. That’s the nature of truth.
So, in conclusion, I encourage you to spend time investigating the Bible. First, read it! Second, meditate on it. And finally, put it into action. In the end, I think you’ll find the “truth” more thirst quenching than any Americano!
Opmerkingen