‘What is truth?’ That was the famous question Pontius Pilates put to Jesus at his trial (Jn. 18:38). It’s a great question and one that has reverberated through the centuries. Today more than ever we find ourselves in a time that asks that question but does not know how to answer it.

Everyone has more access to more information than ever before. But information does not equal truth. People listen to different news sources, opinion shapers, and each one thinks that what they think is how the world really is. You do it. I do it. Everyone does it.

So in a strange way, it’s comforting to me that this isn’t a new problem. Listen to Paul’s 2000 year-old observation about people.

“For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.”

– 2 Timothy 4:3-4

Itching ears, myths, teachers to suit their own passions and not able to endure sound teaching. Well, that sounds pretty relevant to me!

If that’s the diagnosis of the problem what was Paul’s solution? He urged Timothy to have complete patience in teaching and to be ‘sober-minded’.

I like that. It’s what’s needed. People who are very patient with those they are engaging with. But it’s hard, isn’t it? To be really patient with those who think differently to you?

But what about sober-minded? That means people who are serious, sensible, studious and reasonable, working out their positions with care and logic. Unfortunately that doesn’t always sound like Christians, or at least not the ones that make the news – which usually explains why they’re on the news in the first place.

I’d love to hear your thoughts to these two questions:

1. How can we develop a ‘sober-mind’ as we deal with the big issues of our day?
2. How can we develop patience as we engage with those that may think radically differently?

I’d love to hear from you. How are we doing? What do you think?