Your Truth - by Friday Okwori

Knowledge is attractive. Have you ever been in a room full of people when someone would occasionally speak brilliantly? You'll eventually start to feel as though you have a soft spot in your heart for this person. It explains why secondary school head boys frequently have gorgeous girls swarming all around them. It is not rocket science. Knowledge has great power. Our parents encouraged us to associate with smart people because of this. They are aware that eventually we will pick up their wisdom (or at least their behaviours). It is why we desire to surround ourselves with intelligent friends. Every man is a slave to the knowledge he possesses, whether that knowledge is for the better or worse. We are all bound by the information we know, and if we stray from the path, only better knowledge will be able to set us free. Even the world is run successfully (or not) by knowledge. In the end, knowledge serves as the foundation for the truth we base our lives on. It is a double-edged sword that may both kill you or help you develop. ‘Poor people are more holy’, or ‘a wife who makes more money is disrespectful.’ What is deadlier than half-truths? Sadly, people tend to base their decisions on half-truths, making it difficult for them to recognize the "truth." This is the reason we hear phrases like "Your truth." Mary and Martha, never mind which of them was older, were both church girls (whatsoever that means). The leader of the church's ushering team was Martha. She was lively and brimming with life. She put in so much effort that most people knew her. She worked hard to advance through the ranks and take the team's leadership position. Consider how much labour it is to be a member of the ushering crew alone; now consider what it takes to be the head. She was a visionary leader who gave everything she had to accomplishing the objectives she sets. She was the epitome of hard work and selflessness. She had learned through the years that the best way to win God's heart was through service, therefore she made every effort to get His attention. It paid off in many ways. At the very least, it helped her achieve a leadership role. For a church meeting, Martha would cheerfully forego her personal devotion. She was just concerned with "doing." She served as a member of the sanitation team in addition. Mary, on the other hand, belonged to the Bible Study unit. She was only known to people as the Head Usher's sister. She frequently attended church and even had a favourite seat, but she fell short of other’s expectations. Although she was a devoted member of her team, it didn't seem important since she wasn't the leader. It was one of those things that she had grown accustomed to over time. She was more eager to build a relationship with God. She was aware of the value of service in God's house, but she thought those things came second to having a good relationship. She won’t miss her personal devotion for anything in the world. She was interest in ‘being.’ Mary and Martha based their lives on different "truths." You could tell that at some time they got into a disagreement over whose model was correct. They had the same parents, went to the same schools, and were exposed to similar circumstances, but they held opposing ideas. They even had the same bible and went to the same church. Their lives were shaped by what they knew. If we asked which of them was correct, you can bet that the verdict would be unresolved. Certainly, everyone would cite passages from the Bible to support their claims. Everybody thinks they have a truth. Because the truth is absolute, it is ironic when people claim "my truth." A person may have "an opinion," but not "their truth." In practically every profession you can think of, notably religion, people rely on half-truths to survive. There is always a newer version; it functions like an app upgrade. People start churches and ministries on "half-truths," and regrettably, they have a strong congregation (another half-truth), which seems they are moving in the right direction. It explains why there seems to be so many versions of the Jesus we currently know. If you wear trousers as a woman, there is a Jesus who would send you straight to hell. Of course, everyone has their justification in the bible. It begs the question what the recent version of religion is. Is the God you believe in really the God who is? Selah!

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