I remember hearing a hilarious anecdote several years ago.

There was a police officer parked out of sight at a four way stop. It was a popular place for motorists to run the stop sign. Early one morning, as predicted, a fellow was on his way to work and he hardly slowed down as he went through the intersection. The officer pulls out with lights on and, at the flick of the siren, he pulls the driver over. The officer asks: “Do you realize that you drove through a stop sign without stopping?” The driver replies “I slowed down and that is as good as stopping.” The officer responds: “Actually, it is not and here is a warning.” Early the next morning it is the same police officer, driver, and traffic violation. The officer pulls the driver over and says: “You went through the stop sign again without coming to a stop.” The driver reacts: “I don’t see an issue, I slowed down, looked both ways, and that is as good as stopping.” The officer responds: “It is not and here is a ticket.” It’s the third morning and, you guessed it, it’s the same scenario. The officer pulls over the driver. The driver lowers his window and blurts out: “Slowing down is the same as stopping!” The officer continues walking up without a word, grabs the driver by the shirt collar, pulls him half way out of the window of his car, and begins beating him with his billy club. As the officer is doing this he asks the driver: “Do you want me to slow down or stop?”

This fictional story humorously illustrates that when hard pressed we will acknowledge truth. Thus, believe it or not, at any given time, enduring, universal, and non-negotiable truths exist.

Strangely, finding such truths can be discouraging amidst the many conflicting voices. Yet, what resolves the issue is the realization that truth is a matter of coming to know God and learning to see life his way (John 17:17).

In fact, the good news is that God is seeking those who will worship him in Spirit and in truth (John 4:23-24), and that he has given us his beloved Son, Jesus, as the way into his presence (John 14:6). We have but to ask God who is near (Acts 17:26-27).