Out of Darkness into the Light
Learning to See Life From God’s Point of View
by
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CHAPTER 2
TRUTH – A HUMAN DILEMMA – WHAT TO DO WITH IT
We could all agree that a world without truth would end in disaster. Truth is essential for a good world to exist. Without truth, trust in one another is destroyed and relationships cannot survive. But even though we know truth is important to preserve good relationships, truth is often perceived to be dangerous. Therefore, deception and lies become truth’s alternative. Children and adults alike can be afraid of punishment for wrongs done, and instead of telling the truth, lying seems the best way out. Truth is dangerous to all of us when it comes to revealing things about ourselves that could result in the awful pain of people rejecting us. Truth is dangerous to a criminal accused of a crime when it means a possible prison sentence and loss of freedom. How often do many of us want to hide the truth for fear of “being found out”? Courtrooms recognize the need to know the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, because it is the only way for fairness and justice to be achieved. (Isaiah 59:14) Somehow, there is in people a sense of what truth is, and that living by the truth is the way life ought to be (Romans 2:14-15), but we often fear it and practice lies and deceptions in order to protect ourselves from hurt. We perceive that truth can be dangerous, so we avoid it.
A TV commercial was produced for a soda drink called “splode”. Three people, one after the other, bungee jump off a high bridge and grab a can of splode which is sitting on a rock below. The first two grab a can and drink to quench their thirst. The third person opens a can and it explodes and the person dies. The observers watching the event are shocked. Then the true message of the commercial is revealed. It reads, “Only one product actually kills one third of the people who use it.” Then, the word “tobacco” appears on the screen followed by the word “TRUTH”. Think about it, in spite of the truth that one third of users dies, people will ignore the truth and risk shortening their lives. Why? Not because the truth is dangerous to them, but because the truth limits their desires and pleasures. Many would rather take a chance that the truth does not apply to them, than to have to accept it and change their lifestyles. The truth limits their freedom, so they avoid it.
It seems we are in a dilemma when it comes to truth. We cannot survive without truth, but neither can we survive with truth. Truth is difficult to live with because it exposes our personal evils, and so we fear it, we hide from it, and we prefer to live in the shadows of our lives rather than come to the truth. Truth can potentially destroy us, but at the same time, living without truth can also destroy us. It seems the only way we could possibly live with truth would be to know that it is safe. Unfortunately, few find it safe, and so for most, truth must be avoided for the two reasons stated above, to protect ourselves from being hurt, or to preserve our freedom to live as we want. It is no wonder that people devise ways of avoiding truth so that it will not hurt them or limit their desired freedoms. Still, when truth is practiced, we recognize its value and its goodness, and truth as a virtue is honored among people. Truth: what a dilemma. What do we do with it?
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About the Book
The author was hunting in the foothills of a Montana mountain range. Somehow he became separated from his friends and sudden darkness extinguished all light of day. He called out and there was no answer. Being a stranger to those mountains, not knowing where he was, he began to panic. Then he remembered something his friends once told him: don’t panic, climb to the top of a hill, and look around. He did so and saw three lights in three different directions. This is good, he thought, one of them might be the cabin we are staying in. Seeing light gave him hope, even though the light seemed so small and far away. He chose a light to follow and began his journey. Up and down the hills, crossing deep snow banks, often losing sight of the light, he plodded on. What relief and joy and thanksgiving to God overwhelmed him when he arrived at a cabin – it was the right one. Each chapter in Out of Darkness Into The Light identifies some darkness that needs to be overcome. Each chapter offers the light of Jesus and God’s word as an antidote to darkness.
Followers of Jesus will gain new insights and a deeper understanding of their faith.
Those seeking to follow Jesus will be able to make a clearer decision by acquiring a better understanding of what Jesus and the Christian faith is about.
Small groups: included is a guide for Bible study and discussion; chapters can be selected according to interest.
Pastors and lay teachers will find a good resource to expand one’s Christian world view and practical Bible teaching, illustrations, and quotes to pass on.
Those with troubled hearts will experience hope and lifted spirits. “Out of Darkness Into the Light” touches on things like fears, stress, grief, suffering, and self-forgiveness.
Non-readers need not read it all - a short skip around the chapters can be beneficial.
Left your faith? “Out of Darkness Into the Light” recognizes past criticisms, hurts, unanswered questions and doubts and offers another look.
Hate religion? So do I. Learn what a relational life with Jesus involves.
About the Author
Jay Ashbaucher has been a pastor and teacher at a church in the rural town of Glasgow, Montana, for forty-one years. He has a master of divinity from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, Illinois. He was a fifth-step counselor and lecturer in an alcohol and drug treatment center for twenty years, and he also taught community grief classes. Jay enjoys reading, thinking, sports, and hiking. He is happily married, and he has two children and seven grandchildren.