truth wins

There are times when life can be baffling, when you just don’t know if people “get” who you are or understand your intentions and motives. There are times when I’m not completely sure if people I know and care about, people who have truly gotten to know me, fully comprehend me.

I realize, of course, that you can’t run around trying to please everyone, and (to be honest) I don’t typically get as stressed out about what “outsiders” think of me. Don’t get me wrong. I do care if people misrepresent me or conjure up false ideas of who and what I am. On those (rare?) occasions when this occurs, my desire is to set things straight. But–and this is important–I’m not as emotionally impacted about these outsiders as I might be if an “insider” misunderstands me.

Unfortunately, we live in a world in which perversion gets the headlines, inappropriate behavior fans the flames of suspicion, and insincerity and political correctness too often dominate. Within this milieu, it is easy to be skeptical and cynical. In this kind of world, things like trust, honesty, and integrity seem unattainable traits.

Of course given the reality of human imperfection, it is indeed true that we are all flawed, imperfect, and inconsistent. Whatever our best intentions, we are all prone to mess up along the way. Thus, the integrity of which I speak is never completely smooth or uninterrupted. There always remains the human element.

That said, however, I still truly believe that it is indeed possible to embody traits that are good and honorable and right. It is possible, in other words, to be a “good guy/girl.” Naive assumptions aside (that any of us can do this perfectly), it is realistic to believe that–by the grace and influence of God– we can shine forth an integrity that is genuine and–bumps admitted–ongoing.

But here is where I sometimes wonder about it all. Do others understand these things? Are they able to embrace the notion that integrity and goodness (as traits and reflections of God) are possible? Do you and I truly believe that authentic spirituality, genuine love, and similar traits are more than, well, a pipedream?

Again, admitting the reality that we all mess up and do foolish things, I actually believe that things like kindness and compassion are possible. I honestly embrace the idea that–frauds and pretenders aside–truth exists, that the love that flows from God can flow through us to others. (In one place, in fact, we are told that God is love, that love finds it’s origin in a personal deity . . . but that’s another story).

So, what should we do when we wonder if people actually accept us in our efforts to give expression to high ideals? How do we cope with the uncertainty that cynical people (and I can be one of them) might doubt our intentions and perhaps question if such ideals even exist in the first place?

Well, one of the best things I’ve found is to believe that truth wins. And if truth wins, if it is greater than human imperfections and societal uncertainty, then one of our main tasks is to simply give expression to these ideals as consistently and authentically as we possibly can.

If I truly care, if I honestly want to help others, if I demonstrate genuine interest, if I truly and unashamedly share my heart and life with those who come my way, I have to believe that, in the end, these things will win. People (myself included) can be skeptical, cynical, doubting, wavering, mislead, misinformed, and even deceived. But truth and love, if they are indeed real, have to win out, for they are exactly that, real.

So, keep on being you. Continue to prayerfully give yourself to people about whom you care. Shoot for integrity and character. Reflect love. With everything inside of you, fight through your own errors and inconsistencies, and keep your eyes on the prize. Truth and love originate in God, and so they cannot be overcome. Though clouds of uncertainty mark our present existence, truth is more solid than these temporary hindrances of unreal haze.

Though people may not immediately “get” you, while we are all prone to playing “mind games,” wondering whether our sincere acts of concern are properly interpreted, we must learn to trust that the truth will win. The fake, the make-believe, the faulty–these things cannot endure, for they are not based in reality. Truth is real, as is love. Therefore, we (and I!) must continue to “love as he loved us,” believing that truth must (and will!) win.