OIKOS is a fantastic ecumenical initiative in Brigg, that run a Christian shop, a Food Bank, a Community Pantry and more! I was asked to write some short 'thoughts to start your week' for July 2024 for their Facebook page. This is an expanded version of the thought for 14th July.
Picture by Carolyn Dyk – Wycliffe Bible Translators
Mark Twain attributed it to Benjamin Disraeli, but it has not been found in his writings, and in any case the saying, or some form of it has been found earlier than Disraeli. But it sprang to mind listening to the pre-election debates where all the parties made various statistical claims about their own policies and disputing the statistics of their opponents. And even in the aftermath of the General Election statistics are still flying about, again utilised by various people to shore up their viewpoint. There are arguments over vote share, seats won, voter turnout and other issues, which all show that statistics, though often true, are not 'the whole truth and nothing but the truth.'
Even the church is not immune from this: the Church of England recently trumpeted that the most recent church attendance figures has gone up for the second year running – which is true; however, what they didn't say as loudly was that attendance still hasn't returned to pre-pandemic levels.
It's easy to be cynical and despair at politicians and other public figures who use statistics, shall we say, 'creatively' or 'selectively' but we should perhaps consider their use of statistics and use it as a mirror to hold up to ourselves. Because all of us curate an image of ourselves that may be true, but is not the whole truth. Social media is probably the most obvious example of this, where we show the world our 'best' selves, and the 'best' parts of our life (and food!). But we often do this too in the non-digital world: we tell the best stories about ourselves; we brag (in a humble way) about our achievements; and we impart our superior intelligence, knowledge and wisdom. The way we look and dress; the things we put in our homes or gardens; the cars we drive (or don't drive); the places we go to and the people we are seen with all contribute to the way we present ourselves and project the image of ourselves that we want others to see. These images and presentations are often true, though in being perhaps exaggerations of the truth, and only selective truths, they cannot be said to be the whole truth.
It's easy to be cynical and despair at politicians and other public figures who use statistics, shall we say, 'creatively' or 'selectively' but we should perhaps consider their use of statistics and use it as a mirror to hold up to ourselves. Because all of us curate an image of ourselves that may be true, but is not the whole truth. Social media is probably the most obvious example of this, where we show the world our 'best' selves, and the 'best' parts of our life (and food!). But we often do this too in the non-digital world: we tell the best stories about ourselves; we brag (in a humble way) about our achievements; and we impart our superior intelligence, knowledge and wisdom. The way we look and dress; the things we put in our homes or gardens; the cars we drive (or don't drive); the places we go to and the people we are seen with all contribute to the way we present ourselves and project the image of ourselves that we want others to see. These images and presentations are often true, though in being perhaps exaggerations of the truth, and only selective truths, they cannot be said to be the whole truth.
It seems to me that we do this because we are afraid that if people knew the whole truth about us, they would not want to be around us. It is telling that in the Genesis account of the fall of humanity, after grasping for the 'knowledge of good and evil' (i.e. wanting the ability to decide for themselves what is right and wrong rather than trusting God), the first thing Adam and Eve do is cover themselves and hide (Genesis 3:7-8). In wanting the power to judge they end up judging themselves and wanting to present a different version of themselves than the literal naked truth.
But although we may be able to fool others, we cannot fool God: he is the one "to whom all hearts are open, all desires known and from whom no secrets are hidden" (Prayer of Preparation from the Holy Communion service) and the BCP Morning Prayer Service says we should "acknowledge and confess our manifold sins and wickedness; and that we should not dissemble nor cloke them before the face of Almighty God our heavenly Father." Psalm 139 reminds us that God knows everything about us, including our sins – and the amazing thing is that he still loves us! Chris Tomlin has written a worship song called 'Indescribable' that ends with these great lyrics, addressed to God: "You see the depths of my hart and you love me the same, you are amazing God!" He wants us to change and turn away from our sin, but our sin doesn't stop him loving us. He sees the whole truth about us, but we don't need to hide, instead he says to us:
‘Come now, let us settle the matter,’says the Lord.‘Though your sins are like scarlet,they shall be as white as snow;though they are red as crimson,they shall be like wool.' (Isaiah 1:18)
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