01 May Best Before

I’ve somehow gotten grouped into the “older” generation. It wasn’t that long ago that I was on the other side of the generational curve, telling everyone else what was new and the newest trend. I don’t find this new reality that I’m facing, my mortality, comfortable. Have I become out of style myself? Have I passed my “best before” date?

In the grocery store, “best before” dates are stamped on the products lining the aisles. Some have longer “best before” dates than others; some products have dates 2 to 3 years from when they are purchased. That’s the kind of product I aspire to be—best before many years into the future.

Still usable

In reality, many items we reject in stores because their “best before” dates are close or even past are still usable. I saw a news report about a store in Europe that uses these rejected items to help low-income families. The savings passed on to those in society who are more vulnerable have been remarkable.

Truth is never out of date; it never expires. It may have different wrappings from generation to generation, but at its core, it remains constant. What was attractive wrapping 50 years ago, helping people understand what was being said, doesn’t necessarily speak the same to those receiving the message today. A different wrapping might be required.

Socially acceptable

What seems to be overlooked in the noise we create while striving to present ourselves as socially acceptable may divert us from sharing the truth openly. Failing to speak the truth can be as harmful as denying it. Without exposure, truth remains misunderstood by its audience, and when finally expressed, it feels foreign.

Dear brothers I am not writing out a new rule for you to obey, for it is an old one you have always had, right from the start. You have heard it all before. Yet it is always new and works for you…
1 John 2:7,8a TLB

The truth is trustworthy, unlike fallible methods. It remains constant. Trying to present the truth in a way that is acceptable to the masses is often impossible, as the truth can hurt before it heals. Truth is like that “faithful friend” who won’t let us down:

Faithful are the wounds of a friend. But the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.
Proverbs 27:6 NKJ

What is truth?

In our present-day age of political correctness, the truth of God’s word gets silenced by the static of the world. What we are experiencing today reminds me of a time in Israel’s history when no king or ruler existed. They had no governing power over them.

So the children of Israel departed from there at that time, every man to his tribe and family; they went out from there, every man to his inheritance. In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.
Judges 21: 24,25 NKJV

This lack of centralized leadership led to chaos, moral decline, and oppression by Israel’s enemies. God did not want Israel to have a king; He wanted to lead the people Himself. In 1 Samuel 8, the people went to the prophet Samuel and said, “Now make us a king to judge us like all the other nations” (See vs. 5). Instead of allowing God to lead them through His appointed judges, they resisted the words of the judges God appointed over them which resulted in chaos. The people rejected God’s leadership and wanted to do what everyone else was doing. They preferred lies over truth (see Romans 1:24-26). The fallen nature of humankind will automatically resist truth for a lie.

This refusal of God’s preference plunged the nation into a profound decline. By the end of the era of kings, 42 kings and one queen had ruled over God’s people. Their reigns together lasted around 520 years. (Click here for more information, if you are brave, to read more about the time of the kings.)

A mystery

Why we choose to follow our own paths instead of God’s remains a mystery. God, who has consistently proven His faithfulness, receives the same rejection from us today as He did from Israel all those years ago.

When we encounter trouble, our instinctive reaction is determining our next step. Instead of seeking God’s guidance, we look for solutions elsewhere. When we reach the limits of our efforts, we throw our hands up in frustration and exclaim, “There’s no way out of this!” At that moment, we bow and ask God for an answer. We then discover that the answer has always been with us.

Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. “If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him.”
John 14:5-7 NKJV

It’s easy to blame Thomas for being so thick. He had spent much time with Jesus, seen miracles, and wondered which way to go. Jesus answered, “I am the way.” He went on and added “the truth, and the life.”

Leading others to discover the better way

In our ever-changing society, which searches for answers everywhere except God, we have the privilege of showing people around us that there is a better way. The better way is found in Jesus, who brings us to truth and life. But before we can show others the way, we must be convinced that God’s ways are the best.

Have you overlooked some of God’s truths that you believed were relevant to previous generations? Perhaps you think those ways have surpassed their “best before” dates and are no longer applicable today.

Cultures change with each group of people and even evolve with every generation. The way God’s truth is presented can vary depending on the context. What works in England likely won’t be effective in Thailand. However, the essence of the truth must be conveyed without dilution, regardless of the presentation style. Therein we find Jesus speaking, leading us in the way, the truth, and the life.

Challenge

I encourage you today to dig deep. Take a moment to reflect on how you walk with Jesus. Do you let Him lead, or have you been like Israel, wanting to be like everyone else? Jesus’ ways are perfect, and His paths lead us to life. Trust Him today.

Lea Peters

Lea Peters has been a pastor’s wife and missionary since 1987. She has served alongside her husband, Jamie, planting churches and establishing faith-based community outreaches in Africa. She has four children and two grandchildren.

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