Tell The Full Story
My grandfather would often say, "Don't believe everything you read or much of what you think you see." As a man growing up in the South, he spent much of his adult life weeding through the stories he was told. Our dinnertime conversations were a summation of what he learned at school and church. The life lessons always included a cautionary warning that there is one set of rules for us and another for others. Around this time last year, I wrote a similar article entitled "History - The Good, Bad and the Changeable." That article asked about our response to knowledge once we know the truth. This question still gives me pause. I wonder how truth affects how we feel and respond in the future. Abraham Lincoln said, "I am a firm believer in the people. If given the real facts." Today our country is debating whether a complete telling of American history is a good thing, or will it cause more harm? Political parties, schools, and libraries are censoring books and authors that dare to name their truth told in light of the American experience.
The Greek word for "truth" is aletheia, which means to un-hide or hiding nothing. In your opinion, does truth make a difference today? The answer is dependent upon where you stand. Truth is not the driving force for right or wrong. Money, loyalty, power, and relationships are the strongest influencers on society. Greed, dehumanization, control, and in compassion often shaped the past. The website Biblical Answers offers the following understanding about the truth:
Truth is not simply whatever works. This is the philosophy of pragmatism—an ends-vs.-means-type approach.
Truth is not simply what is coherent or understandable.
Truth is not what makes people feel good.
Truth is not what the majority says is true.
Truth is not what is comprehensive.
Truth is not defined by what is intended.
Truth is not simply what is believed.
Truth is not what is publicly proved.
"What is truth?" is an old question with many answers. The faith question is, "What does our belief in Jesus say about truth?" Jesus said, "And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free" (John 8:32). The word "free" is critical for me. To be free implies that falsehood carries with it a burden. How far does one have to go to keep a lie from being revealed? The tragedies of history are often the answer to this question. This month as we celebrate the contributions of Black people, we will continue to learn about the resiliency and ingenuity of people who took the bad and made something good out of it. We will learn about scholars and individuals who proved false claims that Black people are inferior. A thorough study of history will show the genius of hidden figures like Katherine Johnson, who before her death was a lifelong member of Carver Presbyterian Church, Newport News, Virginia. Johnson calculated the equations that helped send John Glenn into orbit around the earth and landed Neil Armstrong on the moon.
Here are some lesser-known facts about Black inventors:
Frederick McKinley Jones – invented refrigeration equipment, receiving over 40 patents for it (1930).
Granville T. Woods – invented the induction telegraph system, which allowed traveling trains to communicate with one another while also allowing dispatchers to locate them.
Garrett Morgan – patented several inventions, including the sewing machine, traffic signal, and a respiratory device that would later provide the blueprint for WWI gas masks.
Marie Van Brittan Brown – invented the first home security system in Queens, New York (1966). She is also credited with the invention of the first closed-circuit television.
The above list is not exhaustive. It would take pages of books to capture the many firsts and extraordinary contributions of Black people in American history. I commend to you the Master Class Series and the History Channel for Black History Month information. Also, join us for a Virtual Celebration of Black History on February 27 at 3:00 p.m.
Why is this important? In John 8:32, Jesus spoke to new disciples. He emphasized that one's capacity for discerning truth begins with understanding Scripture and looking at life through many lenses. Having the ability to see life from its many sides helps the Church in its desire to be relevant in this day and age. Not only should we be open and curious, but we must become culturally astute and grow in our capacity to see people in their full humanity and as full contributors in American history.
As we judge whether something is true, we must consider the source. This was another common quote from my grandfather. Additionally, we should consider does Scripture provides a perspective on the subject. Who benefits in the end? Does this pronouncement of truth promote peace and well-being for all? Let's keep talking about these issues. How will you proclaim an accurate picture of history and the many diverse experiences in this country through your ministries?
Let us pray:
Disturb us, O Lord
when we are too well-pleased with ourselves
when our dreams have come true because we dreamed too little,
because we sailed too close to the shore.
Disturb us, O Lord
when with the abundance of things we possess,
we have lost our thirst for the water of life
when having fallen in love with time, we have ceased to dream of eternity and in our efforts to build a new earth, we have allowed our vision of Heaven to grow dim.
Stir us, O Lord
to dare more boldly, to venture into wider seas
where storms show Thy mastery, where losing sight of land, we shall find the stars.
In the name of Him who pushed back the horizons of our hopes
and invited the brave to follow. Amen
(Desmond Tutu, adapted from an original prayer by Sir Francis Drake).
Grace and Peace,
Rev. Ashley