Truth.

The relativity of truth is a concept we hear over and over in today’s word. The idea that your truth is your truth and mine is mine. The better word for these phrases and ideas is perspective or opinion. Opinions are relative. Perspectives are mine and yours. It’s not a coincidence that the world has decided it no longer wants to use the words opinion and perspective. Instead it has co-opted the word “truth.” Why? Because it gives people’s opinions and perspectives more valid and less room for disagreements and no room for judgment. But our perspectives are not truth. Now, they are true to US but they are not truth.

I explain it this way to my Bible class students. When they leave my class, they will all tell their parents what they learned and what they thought about class. Their statements will all be true to them yet they will also all be different when compared to each other. And voila! The world’s modern use of the word truth. It is true but it is also perspective and opinion. But it is not TRUTH. Why? Because they are different. Because they are constantly changing. Because they can be wrong.

Is this how we try to get away with lying to our parents when we are young? “But, Mom, it was true to me!” “But, Dad, I wasn’t lying – that’s just how I saw it!”

Humanity is not the source of pure truth because humanity is flawed, fickle, and rooted in self – interest. It is the source of opinions and perspectives. Now, don’t get me wrong – there are plenty of FACTS we can learn, observe, and repeat. But even eye witness testimony is not consider super reliable in court. Why? Because while it may be true to the witness – what they think they saw may not actually be fact.

This reality about humanity helps us to understand why living here on earth is turbulent and volatile. The ground always feels like it is shaking because we cannot produce truly foundations to stand on – only our perspectives.

But God doesn’t deal in opinions and perspectives. He only speaks truth.

We don’t know much about Agur the son of Jakeh from Proverbs 30. We can make some general observations but even those are just well our opinions. It appears He did not consider himself wise and He definitely sounds tired of leaving in this world (vs. 1-8). He seems like a man rooted in trying to live a humble life (vs. 7-9) And the rest of his proverb seems to rooted in life lessons and observations he has made about righteous living throughout his life. What we know what his name means “collector” and his father’s name (Jakeh) means pious or carefully very religious. So, what we have here in Proverbs 30 is the wisdom of a man collected after living a pious life.

And right after his opening series of questions which are meant to highlight that man is not the source of wisdom and truth – Agur tells the reader who is – God.

And since God is the source of all true words, He can serve as a shield to those who take refuge in Him. He is constant. Trustworthy. Dependable. Accurate. Reliable. Those traits serve as a source of confidence and protection for those who run to Him. The righteous do not have to fear the constant changing nature of the “world’s truth.” The righteous of the steady shield of God’s truth.

So, if you are looking for consistency and dependability in human truth you will never find it because it is rooted in perspective and opinion. If you want the steadfastness and safety of truth, you’ll have to take refuge in God’s truth. And, I’d suggest you run to it because world’s truth will destroy you. Only God’s truth will save you.