by Tank Tankersley
So many scriptures say so much in so few words. That is God’s way, I suppose. Man is inclined to ramble on, saying nothing, or worse. God, however, comes right to the point – brief, but profound. One such scripture is John 14:6. “… I am the way, the truth, and life…” Nine little words, but a thousand attempts such as this would not begin to exhaust their meaning or do justice to their significance.
The Way: How would you suggest that I go about it? What’s the best way to do it? What advice can you give me to …? Do you think it would be better if I…? We are are all looking for the way, the approach, the method, the system. Call it what you will. We all want to know how it is that we should live our lives, how we should go about the business of living. Well, whatever the “it” may be in our particular circumstances, a career decision, the choice of a husband or a wife, and so on, one thing is certain. If we depart from the One who is the “the way.” no good will come of it. What is the way? It’s just like God, isn’t it, that He has told us. No, He has done much more than that. He has entered history to show us, lest we miss the point.
The Truth: What is truth? So asked Pilate. Poor Pilate! Truth was staring him in the face. If only he had known. What is true not false? What is real, not fake? What is always, not sometimes? What is eternal, not fleeting? What is for certain, not perhaps? Isn’t that what all of us seek? And truth in the flesh has told us that if we seek we will find. The revelation of all that is true, all that is. That’s one description of Jesus, I suppose.
The Life: When people concern themselves with things that do not matter, when they miss the point, when they make mountains out of molehills, we are inclined to advise: GET A LIFE! And God has made a way for us to have one. “… I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” (John 10:10). Think about it. Jesus came! And why? That our lives might count for something. That they would matter. That we might be in fact what God intended us to be when He made us in His image. What is the proper response to that reality? “Wow” somehow does not suffice.
How do we know the way to go? How do we know where truth lies? How do we make our lives mean something? God wants us to know. So He has told us. He has told us in John 14:6. Nine little words. Nine words that articles such as this, and sermons, and term papers, and so on will never adequately explain and can never hope to improve upon. Nine words that bring hope to all peoples, in all places, throughout all history, across all time. Nine little words that we would do well to ponder in our hearts.