Other People’s Truth

Recently, Starbucks shut down its eight thousand company-operated stores to conduct an anti-bias training for more than 175,000 employees. You'd think they were pretty serious. Starbucks didn't make the training public, but some ground rules came out:

- Listen respectfully
- Speak your truth and honor other people's truth
- If your conversation gets off track, pause and restart

Sounds pretty good. The first falls under Jesus' words in the Sermon on the Mount, "All things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them." We all would want others to listen respectfully – this we should, too.

But how about that truth part?

For that, take a look at the graphic. As the graphic shows - perspective can display two “truths”, thus we need to seek common truths before we can discern the perspectives that divide truth into two parts. Both perspectives show light, an object, it’s obvious suspension, and it’s lack of motion. Once the items in common are verified, adults can move onto variables and their source.

What seems totally impossible as “truth”, as seen above, can be proven with a change in both perspectives. Look for what is truth - not simply what is true. There is a difference. For example, one of the most quoted verses from the Bible used to be John 3:16. If we could track today’s internet usage, I’d say it was now:

Judge not, that ye be not judged. (Matthew 7:1 KJV)

However, you seldom see the following verse included:

For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. (Matthew 7:2 KJV)

Which to me means to be very cautious that when I am in a position that requires a judgment call that I do it cautiously, with God’s examples in mind, beginning with the continuing verses:

And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye. (Matthew 7:3-5 KJV)

I must be certain that I am not committing the same error I’m making as a judgment call in another person. If I point out that what I’m hearing is gossip, I must not be involved in any gossip. Doesn’t have to be ten times the size of what I hear to be a “beam.” If I err when I know I shouldn’t, that make my error a beam. On the other hand, unless I point out the “mote” – a factual irregularity – I’m leaving my brother in error.

How do I know it is error? It has to be specific to the ongoing commandments in God’s word to His children. I don’t have the right to define what level the wrong is, just that the error exists and there is an ongoing methodology to make a correction. I’ve already been given an answer for almost every situation:

But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear: (1 Peter 3:15 KJV)

Where do I find that hope, and why do I want to share it with everyone?

For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope. (Romans 15:4 KJV)

Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee. (Titus 2:13-15 KJV)

Honor other people’s truth, being ready to explain the source of your own.