What is Truth?

Webster defines truth in the following ways:

1 a archaic : fidelity, constancy b : sincerity in action, character, and utterance
2 a (1) : the state of being the case : fact (2) : the body of real things, events, and facts : actuality (3) often capitalized : a transcendent fundamental or spiritual reality b : a judgment, proposition, or idea that is true or accepted as true s of thermodynamics> c : the body of true statements and propositions
3 a : the property (as of a statement) of being in accord with fact or reality b chiefly British : true 2 c : fidelity to an original or to a standard
4 capitalized Christian Science : god

It is the first and last definition that catches my attention.  Fidelity, Constancy, and GOD, the basic definitions of truth...and God.  It is interesting to me that God loves us constantly and with fidelity and asks us to do the same.  The Bible tells us to "put no trust in man, trust in God alone."  

I had very good friend once.  She was perfect in every way...on the outside.  She talked about Jesus, did many things for the church, went to Mass everyday, she was the perfect Catholic...so I thought.  I really admired her and wanted to be with her because she seemed so happy, positive, and charming...always joking around.  One day she lied to me.  I didn't say anything to her I just pushed it aside.  Then she lied again.  Soon I found she lied about everything, even things she didn't have to lie about!  She was not the person she appeared to be on the outside.  I saw her in dishonest relationships with others and eventually I had no idea if she was lying to me or not.  She did not know how to be her true self.  It seemed the more I got to know my friend on an  intimate, personal level, the more her perfect image seemed to be a facade.  

One day I stopped talking to my friend.  It seemed that she was embarrassed that I knew she was not her authentic self and I just got tired of caring for someone I really truly did not know.  There was a study done once that stated that 90% of the people you will meet in your lifetime will never reveal their true self to you.  That means when it comes to relationships we are all pretty much used car salesmen.  We put on the face we want others to see.  This is what Jesus meant when he said, "put no trust in another man, put your trust God alone."  God shows us his True self and He wants us to be true to him but how can we be true to our God whom we can't see when we are not true to others whom we do see?  We fool ourselves into thinking that there is some advantage to deceiving others but there is NO advantage in trying to deceive God!  He knows who we really are even if we don't know ourselves.

In the end, lying and deceiving people you meet is really just a waste of time because eventually people always figure you out.  They may keep you around after that, and they may even continue to spend time with you, but make no mistake about it, they are only there because they are hoping and praying that you choose to leave the lies behind and join God in His light of truth.   If someone truly loves you they will not let you live in darkness very long before they challenge you to come into the light and become that best version of yourself that you are called to be...your TRUE self.    

I challenge you to look at your life and ask yourself the following questions: "Do I live in the light of truth?  Am I an open book for all to see holding nothing back?  Am I a TRUE witness to my faith and beliefs or do I wear my "faith" as a mask to hide my true self?  Am I accountable to others for my actions so that they can correct me when I stray? Am I the kind of friend to others that Jesus is to me?  

I think this is what Jesus meant when He said, "trust no man."  He created all men (and women) and He knows their nature.  I think Jesus knew that people would deceive one another if they had the chance, like Eve deceived Adam.  I will put my trust in God alone, and I hope that it leads me to Truth and to my authentic self, even if others should reject me because of it.  Without Truth, what else is there?  Oh yeah, lies.