Although truth will always prevail, delusion generally wins the short race. Yeshua (Jesus) faced this repeatedly. That's why we find Yeshua often using the phrase, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear." He said this because truth alone doesn't break through the wall of obstinacy.

 

People tend to believe lies for all sorts of reasons: it preserves our comfort, it placates our pride, it saves our energy (switching paradigms is a lot of hard work). The fact of the matter is that I, Traver Dougherty, believe in lies right now. Although I am not fully aware of all the lies to which I presently subscribe, perhaps you can appreciate the fact that I'm willing to admit I don't have the edge on all truth. And, perhaps, you might also appreciate that my posture allows me to listen to others more attentively, allowing myself to be corrected when necessary.

 

While some believe truth is relative, I do not. Instead, I think people are dead wrong (including me). To combat my wrongness, I work hard to be self-aware, constantly seeking to understand my cultural lenses (western, Protestant, white, pride). Perhaps that's what Nicodemus was able to do (eastern, Pharisee, Jew, pride). The point is, there is a truth to know and the only way for any of us to know it is via humility. We must let go of one of the most prominent idols around today: the status quo.