"If I go to my grave someday with the awareness that I asked at least

one right question during my time on earth, then I will consider my life

well-lived."

That's what I said to somebody last week in the midst of a very deep

religious discussion.

I have been meandering through deep theological and philosophical valleys

in recent months. I have been to places in the heart and mind and soul of

me where I never thought I would ever voluntarily venture, much less become

willing to explore.

My conversationalist was appalled at my statement. "You mean you don't

see yourself as an answers person?"

"Heavens no!" I responded. "I'm just winging it like

everybody else."

"But what about Jesus?"

"What about Him?"

"What is He to you, now that you are into this new kind of thinking?"

Thank God she did not say "new age thinking" as that's a

term I really detest. "He is everything to me spiritually. He is God.

He is Lord. He is Friend," I answered.

"Then how can you ask the kinds of questions you ask and explore the

sort of theories that you explore?"

"How can I not?" I countered. "Surely you cannot believe

that God would be intimidated by my questions."

"Intimidated? No. Irritated? Maybe."

Thus we were catapulted into a discussion of blasphemy and unforgivable

sins. It was an area in which I had no interest at the moment, though, as

the daughter of a Baptist preacher, born and raised in the Bible Belt, I

certainly have gone there in the past. But she had a need last week so we

went there again.

I would have much preferred to discuss any number of the utterly profound

statements that Jesus was reported to have made, like: "And you shall

know the truth and the truth shall set you free."

I mean, really, how can one not find such a statement totally fascinating

in a world such as ours today, where ratings, opinion polls and revenue flow

almost totally control our dissemination of news, information and truth?

Surely some layer of truth, some hint of it can be found in and amongst all

the information made available through thousands and thousands of sources

all over the world.

Surely? Actually, I suspect that truth is as elusive as ever. And as subjective.

Take for instance, the setting in chapter eight of the Fourth Gospel of

today's New Testament. Note how John describes the scene before he quotes

Jesus on truth. Shortly before Jesus spoke about truth's freedom, the

scribes and Pharisees had brought before Him a woman "taken in adultery - the

very act" and they had tried to trick Him.

The Law, the Bible as they knew it in their day, said she should be stoned

and they told him so. He countered, "Let him who is sinless among you

cast the first stone."

And thus began an exchange not so unlike the one I had with my friend last

week.

Jesus started to make one comment after another that simply did not set

well with the folks with whom He was conversing. Based on everything they

knew to be "true" up until that time, Jesus was blaspheming God,

big time! In their opinion, He was "defiling, vilifying, reviling, railing

against or speaking evil against" God.

Yep, that's how they saw it.

I challenge you to saturate your mind with today's "truth," that

is: today's news. Check it out for a week or so. Absorb information

from every source you can access: newspapers, magazines, talk radio, television,

the internet, even live folks if you can get some of them to talk to you!

Listen well to all sides of the issues. As much as it is within you, try

to understand everyone's view. Be respectful of everybody's "truth

... "

At the end of that saturation period, read the eighth chapter of John --

yes, the whole chapter. Then see if you can ask yourself a few honest questions.

Never mind finding the answers immediately. Don't even think about what

the answers may be. Just see if you have the courage to ask the questions.

We all think we want answers, don't we?

Somewhere in the back of my mind I can hear Jack Nicholson's character

in the film, "A Few Good Men," screaming at me, "You can't

handle the truth!"

I hope he's wrong. One thing's for sure. If I don't have

the courage to ask honest, dialogue-stimulating "right" questions,

I will never have the opportunity to see if I can handle the truth, much

less celebrate its freedom!