THE VOICE OF TRUTH

"There are two sides to every story" is a truism that allows people to ignore the truth.   For while it is indeed true that people in conflict share the details most sympathetic to their cause, and so we should listen to "both sides", the implication is not true that "the truth lies somewhere in the middle."   In this post-modern age, with people being taught that truth is relative, and so is supposedly constantly shaped by "perspectives" from different speakers and observers, the old-time wisdom that "there are two sides" has now become particularly useful to liars.   We see this in politics, in our families, in the workplace, and even in our churches.   It is useful to the them because people hearing the conflict between the true story and the false story just throw up their hands (often in frustration, to be sure) and avoid "getting involved", saying things like, "both parties are the same", "they just need to get along", and "well, we're all sinners."  And so people choose to believe what they want to believe, since the truth is just somewhere "out there", somewhere "in the middle."  I've done this myself.   It's hard not to.  Even trusted source authorities such as teachers and even pastors will lie and deceive.  May God grant us wisdom to discern whom to trust in our lives.   And may we always be thankful that, even amidst the noise of lying humanity, we have the gift of pure, unvarnished truth readily available to us in God's Word.   May its melodious sound resonate in our hearts.