What is Truth?


 Sitting in the spacious living room on plush, pink cushions with end tables covered in delicious sweets on golden platters, one would not have guessed my mom and I sat in the house of a desert dweller. Lydia sat elegantly on the edge of the couch ready to serve coffee or insist we eat more sweets. As guests of her house, we wouldn’t dream of shaming her by refusing her offers. I had experienced this ritual hospitality for ten plus years growing up in that part of the world but tonight was different.

In between sips of cardamom-infused coffee and auburn-colored tea, we read the Word of life from a small book in her language. She began reading it aloud and then asking questions - genuine questions as though she really wanted to know. In all my 25-yrs of life, 12 of those in her part of the world, I had never met someone who knew the Truth from her country, and yet here she was seeking the Truth and desperate for an answer. Years of doubt in my heart began to melt as I sat in awe of the work of the Teacher in her heart. 


The next time we got together she began to tell us this story: “I was awakened from a deep sleep one night by an unseen force that was gripping my throat and choking me. Before I knew what I was saying, these words came out - my Lord Jesus!!” Tears came to her eyes as she continued: “I may have thought these words before but never would I have consciously uttered them from my lips. Yet as soon as they came out the evil force left and a sweet presence filled the room.” She told us this story with awe and fear. It was a holy moment because we all knew that if she chose to accept the Truth of what had just happened it would forever change her life. That day as we ended with a simple song in her language the sound was even sweeter and I couldn’t keep the tears of joy from my eyes. 


As Lydia continued to wrestle with questions and doubts of who this Truth is, my mom invited her to meet with one of our sisters who also speaks Lydia’s language. We sat together in a private cubicle of a French restaurant. Once again, though we were not at her house, Lydia served us with elegance - the cardamom-infused coffee, the fancy sweets, and auburn-colored tea. Once again we discussed who is Truth and what does His word mean. Yet tonight, everything was different - instead of debating every question our sister answered, Lydia let the Truth sink in. She nodded, taking everything in with her penetrating, deep brown eyes. “How did I live for 40 plus years and never know the Truth? How have my husband, my family, my neighbors, and all my friends never known the Truth? How will I tell them?” It was a sober moment because we all knew that telling them could literally cost her life. 


What would you tell someone in Lydia’s shoes? All the nice platitudes and helpful Scripture verses just fall to the wayside in the light of such an intense cost for her simple expression of faith. It is in those moments where I realize that I, Joanna Yoder, have nothing to offer - I can’t answer her questions, I can’t give her a guarantee that everything will end up the way she hopes, I can’t even say that I understand how she feels because I’ve never had to make a decision like that! Yet, it is also in those moments that our Comforter and Friend is so close in the room. We ended that time together joining Lydia in prayer for her family. My heart breaks with her for her children, her husband, her relatives who do not yet know the Truth. 


I do not know exactly why the Lord gave me this opportunity to witness this precious woman go from seeking to the Truth to believing it, but what I do know is this - the Lord is working in her country and she is not the only one seeking answers. He has convicted my heart with His love for these people. How will they know unless they hear? And how will they hear unless the Word is spoken to them? And how will the Word be spoken to them unless we His children go and demonstrate the Truth of His Word through our lives?


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