Song: “The Truth” by Megan Woods

Something fundamental about human nature: People do not always believe what is true.

Sometimes they believe the story that makes the most sense to them, supports what they already believe, or makes them feel comfortable.

There is the truth, and then there is the story.

When they agree, that’s wonderful.

But when they disagree, which one will you believe?

“The real test of our integrity is not whether we believe the truth when it agrees with our story, but whether we are willing to change our story when the truth proves us wrong.”

Opening: Two versions of the same reality

Good morning and welcome to another edition of Starting Our Day Together.

I want to share something with you this morning that I believe deserves some serious thought.

There is the truth, and then there is the story.

Now, when the truth and the story line up, everything is fine.

The facts support what we are being told.

The evidence supports the explanation.

What happened and what people say happened are essentially the same thing.

But what happens when they don’t line up?

What happens when the story sounds good, but the facts tell us something different?

And here’s the question I want us to wrestle with this morning:

When the truth and the story don’t agree, which one are you going to believe?

We see this struggle in our nation.

We see it in our communities.

We see it in our relationships, and yes, sometimes we even see it in our churches.

But before we start pointing fingers at other people, I want us to consider something else.

Sometimes the story we most need to examine is our own.

Point 1: A story can be convincing without being true

One of the things we need to understand is that a story doesn’t have to be true to be believable.

A story can be repeated so often that people begin to accept it without questioning it.

A story can appeal to our emotions.

It can confirm our suspicions.

It can reinforce what we already think about a person, a group, or a situation.

And sometimes we accept the story not because we have examined the evidence, but because we trust the person telling it.

Listen to what the Bible says in Proverbs 18:17 (ESV): “The one who states his case first seems right, until the other comes and examines him.”

That’s powerful.

The first story may sound completely reasonable.

It may be convincing.

It may even move us emotionally.

But then someone comes along with additional facts, another perspective, or evidence we haven’t considered.

And suddenly we discover there was more to the situation than we originally understood.

Just because somebody tells a convincing story doesn’t mean they’ve told the complete truth.

Point 2: Sometimes we become attached to the story

Now here’s where things get uncomfortable.

Sometimes people are presented with information that challenges what they believe, and instead of reconsidering their position, they defend the story even more strongly.

Why?

Because sometimes a story becomes more than information.

It becomes part of our identity.

It becomes connected to our friendships, our loyalties, our experiences, and our sense of belonging.

And when that happens, accepting a different truth can feel like betraying the people or ideas we’ve supported.

Think about that.

We may say we want the truth, but what we really want is confirmation that we’ve been right all along.

John 8:32 (ESV) says: “and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

But freedom requires a willingness to confront what is real. And sometimes the truth sets us free from a story we’ve been telling ourselves for years.

Point 3: The church must be a place where truth matters

Now, my friends, I believe this principle has particular importance for those of us who profess to follow Jesus Christ.

The church should not be a place where rumors are treated as facts, where personal loyalties outweigh integrity, or where people are afraid to ask honest questions.

Our commitment must be to truth, even when that truth is inconvenient.

Ephesians 4:25 (ESV) tells us: “Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another.”

Notice that Scripture doesn’t tell us to speak the truth only when it benefits us.

It doesn’t tell us to speak the truth only when our friends agree.

It calls us to put away falsehood.

That means we must be willing to examine what we hear, what we repeat, and what we choose to believe.

And remember, telling the truth also requires love, humility, and wisdom.

We can be committed to what is true without being cruel toward someone who sees things differently.

Point 4: Before you believe the story, examine the truth

Let me offer four questions that I believe we should ask ourselves whenever we hear something that influences our judgment.

1. What do I actually know?

Not what I heard, not what I assume, but what can be established as fact?

2. Who is telling the story, and what might be missing?

Is there another perspective that deserves consideration?

3. Am I believing this because it is supported by evidence, or because I want it to be true?
4. If new facts prove me wrong, am I willing to change my mind?

That fourth question may be the most difficult of all.

Because it requires humility.

It requires us to recognize that being sincere doesn’t always mean being correct.

And it requires us to value truth more than the satisfaction of winning an argument.

Closing: Which one will you believe?

So, as we begin this day together, I want to leave you with this thought.

There is the truth, and then there is the story.

Sometimes they agree.

Sometimes they don’t.

And when they don’t, each of us faces a choice.

Will we cling to the story because it is familiar, comfortable, or popular?

Or will we have the courage to follow the truth, even if it requires us to change our minds?

My friends, we don’t have to know everything.

We don’t have to have an answer to every question.

And we certainly don’t have to pretend we have never been wrong.

But we should always be willing to learn, to listen, and to pursue what is true.

Because truth should shape our story.

Our story should never be allowed to replace the truth.

And that’s something worth thinking about as we start our day together.

May God bless you, may He guide your thoughts, and may He give you the wisdom and courage to recognize and embrace the truth.