Truth and life

Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life”
(John 14:6)

What was your favourite childhood story or fairy tale?
 
Currently our country is gripped by truth crises. Our leaders have allegedly told lies.
 
'Oh, what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive' (Marmion, Sir Walter Scott, 1808). Once a person or organisation tells a lie, they often need to tell more lies, trapping themselves and their victims in a destructive matrix ending in many damaged and destroyed lives.
 
The Independent newspaper recently reported that the blood products scandal was the “Biggest treatment disaster in NHS history and was caused by a cover-up by politicians, doctors, and health officials over more than 40 years, blood scandal inquiry finds. Patients were knowingly exposed to unacceptable risks of infection from contaminated blood products, while children and adults were used as human Guinea pigs. Successive governments refused to acknowledge the part blood products played in infecting patients. Sunak apologises for state’s callousness and cruelty. Victims demand change as grieving daughter says PM's apology is ‘not worth the paper it's written on’.” “The inquiry, led by Sir Brian Langstaff, found that it could largely though not entirely have been avoided, and had been made worse by a subtle, pervasive, and chilling cover up extending to both the Government and the NHS.” (21 May 2024, pages 1 and 9)
 
Growing up in Britain, I got the impression that Britain stood for integrity and truthfulness. Our news was reputedly truthful. It could be depended on. I feel betrayed and utterly ashamed of the lies evidently told at the highest levels of my government and society.
 
One of the best things about a good relationship is truth. You can be totally truthful about your feelings, your past, and your dreams and hopes for the future. You can be true to yourself. You can rest in the knowledge you are totally, truthfully accepted, ‘warts and all’. Sadly, relationships are destroyed by lies. If a person betrays your trust by lies, you may forgive them, but it is difficult to trust them ever again.
 
Jesus told the truth. He said, ‘I am the truth.’ At his trial Pontius Pilate cynically said, ‘What is truth?’ Truth was on trial at Jesus’ trial. Jesus was the victim of lies, but his truth won after his death.
 
The Bible begins with a beautiful story of creation in Genesis, but Eve and Adam were destined for death after believing a lie. Many people in the Bible lived exemplary lives but others were diverted and destroyed by lies.
 
People trust us, as Christians, to tell the truth. Our Christian community at HTR should be a bastion of truth and honesty. We are, as Jesus promised, salt and light to our generation.

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