Whole Truth

“What’s milk made of?”  my 5 year old daughter asked recently.

“Hhmm… Well, I’m pretty sure that milk is made of… milk,” I answered.

After saying that, I started thinking about how unusual it is to see single ingredient foods these days. I guess that’s why the words organic, natural, and whole are appearing more and more frequently on our produce and labels. In an attempt to be healthy, we seek to avoid processed foods, even though they are more convenient, more transportable, and have a longer shelf life. 

Now don’t get me wrong, I’m no purist when it comes to eating. At least not yet. It was only recently that I learned what “trans fats” and “hydrogenated oils” are, and why I should avoid them. Truth is, I still occasionally indulge in movie theater popcorn. And let’s face it…  that “butter” is probably filled with trans and saturated fat! 

But this concept fascinates me, because I realize that it parallels the frustration I feel toward processed versions of other things in life, like truth. In fact, as I searched online for a good definition of this virtue, I realized that there is “no agreed upon definition” of it. Processed truth has come to mean whatever each person believes. Talk about convenient and transportable! 

But is truth really subjective? What about the truth that when I eat more calories than I burn, then over time I’ll need a larger pant size?

Or the truth of gravity that pulls my body to the couch even when I try and get it up to do the 30 Day Shred?

Sometimes I WISH truth, at least about food, really was subjective. If it was, then I could decide that “truth for me” is that eating fatty, processed, and hydrogenated foods is GOOD for me!  Wouldn’t that make it true? 

It makes me happy.
It feels good.
Then it’s true. 

Trust me. I wish it was true, but we all know it isn’t.

Just as there are absolute truths in the biological and physical world, there are also absolute truths in the spiritual world. Jesus makes this clear when He says, “Purify them with your Truth.  Your Word is Truth.” John 17:7.

In His Word we can find whole, unprocessed truth for living. What a loving and wise God to reveal these truths for us instead of leaving us to figure them out the hard way!

The sum of your Word is truth, and every one of your righteous rules endures forever.  Psalm 119:1