“You can’t handle the truth.”   

Some of us will remember this classic line from the movie, “A Few Good Men,” but have you ever pondered the deeper meaning behind the phrase? Increasingly, “handling truth” has become harder because getting a handle on the truth is like trying to catch a greased pig.  I’m convinced people still believe in it and depend on it, but the process whereby we come to know it is changing. 

With the advent of YouTube, Twitter and Facebook, truth appears to be everywhere.  One man referred to the trinity of social platforms as YouTwitFace, which may be more prophetic than we’d like to admit.   Maybe you have observed that truth no longer seems to be about what is true, immovable or constant. The rules in play seem to be “if it works for me, it’s true for me.” In the wake of arriving at truth through self-discovery and, of course, our feelings, we have stopped listening to each other. Think of this in the political arena today.   

The Right won’t listen to the Left because, well, they are wrong, misguided, misinformed and don’t know the truth. The Left won’t listen to the Right for the same reasons.

Folks, this is cynicism. Cynicism is dangerous because when we are cynical, we can be moved to a place beyond persuasion. Even in the world of science, which has always been purported to be iron clad in the endeavor for truth, chinks in the armor are surfacing.   

John P.A. Ioannidis, a Stanford University physician-scientist and writer has said, “It can be proven that most claimed research findings are false.” 

His research pointed to the idea that there is so much pressure to churn out the next great discovery, that the process is being compromised. 

Let’s see. How many attempts did Edison make for the incandescent light bulb? Go ahead, Google it. What we may need now more than ever is a healthy infusion of skepticism. If we are skeptical, the verdict is still out.   In other words, we could be persuaded — you guessed it — by the truth.   

As we ponder the issue of truth today, where can we turn? Many seem to look within for guidance, but in a moment of mental sobriety admit, “Why did I do that?”

Might I suggest a time-tested source for truth? The Bible. Now, if you had an allergic (maybe cynical?) reaction to this invitation, I can’t help you. But if you are skeptical, there is hope.   

Jesus shared the truth, but also embodied it, and it might surprise you that Jesus was fiery and short with the cynics of His day, but patient with the skeptics.

As you read the Bible you may discover that it is reading you. You may discover how wonderfully practical it can be. Will you understand everything?   Not likely. However, approach this invitation with some assurance that God created us to know and handle the truth. 

You can handle the truth! 

Greg Rensberry is the pastor at Mapleview Free Methodist Church in Niles. He can be reached at
gregrensberry@yahoo.com.