Although we know much about it, truth may not be adequately understood for what it is. There is large flexibility in truth meaning that we may miss, if we gain the context of it at all. The same problem appears for love. All genuine love comes from the nature of God. We love God because he first loved us. (John 4:19) This is a divine love reflected in human love. Divine love is included in other definable factors in the nature of God, like holiness, so becomes larger than love alone. We can make the same statements about truth that we make about God’s omniscience. All this taken together is persuasive to us that there is one God. God is holistic in his nature which we therefore observe as perfect God. So it is that Scripture speaks of love and truth as something that is substantive in conduct. It is something that one does, as well as something contemplated. The truth of love is that it may be contemplated, but without expression in reality. It does not grasp love as a possession in the nature of the person. Even God was compelled in his love and truth to acknowledge it, by creating something (human beings like unto conscious self in an essence) so to register loving and being loved by choice. We will concentrate on truth for our theme. A current illustration expresses my point for truth as it emanates from God. Human beings are hard put to find that pattern of truth as God means truth, so we must turn to him so to live and understand his unchanging truth. It is sometimes seen in mankind’s search for truth, but can’t be deciphered except through routes of Scripture, prayer, and personal experience through the agency of the Holy Spirit of God.
I am warmed by the report in the news today (10/13/2013) that the happiest people in the world are the Danes. We are told this is for six leading reasons: 1) Parental support relating to care of children and ease for working parents in first year of a child; 2) Health care, affordable and under direction of a family doctor; 3) Gender equality, and that as a collective goal of the citizenry; 4) Biking as a norm of transportation meaning exercise and reduced air emissions for health; 5) General positive spin on the cloudy, cold weather of winter so the development of coziness and home habits for diversion; and, 6) A sense of responsibility for one another that provides the interpretation of democracy. In summary much of this is related to education and health interest, to community concepts, and an environment of smallness that permits large simplicity in interpersonal life and functioning. The story appears too simplistic. If we knew more, much more, we would likely find much of the truth in the cultivated nature of the people, in a small enough population to avoid the complexities of larger contours of nations and peoples. Why for example, do so many of the beneficiaries of the world, with more than the Danes have in services and substance become so neutral about life, society, responsibility, and other factors, including faith, that create human benefit?
The problem with all this is that no matter how carefully we study the nature of humankind we have no way of grasping all we need to know to determine what will make persons happy in the majority, reality, fulfillment, character, family, accumulation, values, and the list may be extended. God covers our ignorance of truth with faith that he is the master of all things, and will bring us to a safe haven. The happiness quotient for the more than seven billion human beings can’t be determined on the results of a limited study of Denmark with a population of fewer than five million persons, a national population less than half the number of persons living in New York City. None of these observations here deny that Denmark has found an effective way to combine freedom and socialistic measures to provide a good life in secular mortal context. We are concerned here with lasting truth, and to the degree that comfortable, educated, serviced life and management of negative influences meet the expectations of God and the provision for more than mere mortality. I live in a happy state that has a population similar to that of Denmark. The percentages cited are similar for them. The degree of satisfaction, from the evidence, including weather, would serve well the parallels of both. Models have something to offer to populations, but the mystery of truth may suggest various approaches to problem solving. *Mark W. Lee, Sr. — 2016, 2020