I work for an organization that has great values and aspirations. It is also a organization run and defined by people that are all too human. We make mistakes. We forget what we hold to be most true. We behave in ways that conflict with our ideals. In the conflicting environment, I often wonder how one can know what we believe.
I am not alone. As a group, we survey ourselves, conduct focus groups, and interview those leaving trying to discover what we believe. We know that perceptions often explain a lot, but a lingering question often remains. How does one know what one believes with certainty?
A disaster struck a small community. Historical buildings were shattered. Young and old feared for their lives. It was unclear if they were safe. Everything seemed at risk.
The organization stepped it without fanfare. Serious money pledged to those who needed help. One organizational veteran put it best.
“Forget the surveys. Forget the marketing efforts to convince our staff. Today you put your money where it was needed. You cared when it mattered most. We will never forget.”
I read a wisdom father’s note; “This is how we’ve come to understand and experience love: Christ sacrificed his life for us. This is why we ought to live sacrificially for our fellow believers, and not just be out for ourselves.” (1 John 3.16) I realize it is not my words but my actions that tell the tale. We write our perceptions of truth through the acts and deeds of our life. We tell others what is most important by our choices and decisions. We reveal the truth we see through the steps we take.
We say we know but do we look and see what we explained to others? Today is an opportunity to look back and step forward in that knowledge. Freedom means we have the ability to turn in any direction. Whatever we might think, our lives tell the story of our heart. Knowing this opens up the door to being intentionally consistent. It is a wonderful opportunity.
