Week Two - Day One: End of Day

I read a set of statistics recently that demonstrated the incredibly high statistical likelihood that the average person will adopt the same belief system as their parents. (This includes even things as secondary as being a Democrat or Republican.)

This tendency can be a little disconcerting for those of us who make truth claims! What this means is that a significant reason that I end up believing what I believe is because I was raised in an environment that promoted those beliefs. So, shouldn’t we necessarily avoid claiming that our way of thinking is the right way of thinking? I mean, if our mindset and belief structure are most likely simply the product of our environment, then shouldn’t we all hold our truth claims lightly? Suppose I was born in Saudi Arabia instead of South Carolina … It seems very likely that I would be a Muslim instead of a Christian, right?

For starters, we have to admit that this does present a challenge to our truth claims about God. But when we admit that, we must insist that everyone also admit it. Specifically, all of the pluralistic thinkers who are critical of the rest of us because they believe that we can’t make absolute truth claims … they must recognize that their claim that none of us can make truth claims is also a truth claim and may very well be the result of their upbringing.

We simply don’t have a choice about whether or not we make truth claims. All we can do is make them very carefully, responsibly and thoughtfully.

1. Survey your day today. Were you able to talk to someone today about belief? If not, why not? If so, what happened?
2. Read John 14:1-7 as a day ending exercise. Linger over the implication of what Jesus says for a moment.

   (1) "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. (2) In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. (3) And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. (4) You know the way to the place where I am going."

   (5) Thomas said to him, "Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way?"

   (6) Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (7) If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him."

3. End your day by praying this: “Guide us waking, O Lord, and guard us sleeping; that awake we may watch with Christ, and asleep we may rest in peace.”
4. Lights out!