True Lies

“Many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first.”-Matthew 19:30-

There are certain lies we live by. If we knew they were lies, we certainly wouldn’t live by them. But there are lies that we have believed to be true, and the truth is that lies we believe to be true can have power over us as if they were true.

For example, we eat carrots and we encourage our kids to eat carrots because — as everyone knows — carrots improve your . . . ? Yeah, carrots improve your vision. Except that they don’t. This lie is actually rooted in World War II propaganda. I know that many of you reading this right now don’t believe me, but it’s true. Now, millions of children and adults eat carrots in hopes of improving their vision. It’s not true, but because we believe it is, we end up living by the lie. Or how about this one: Many of us were told as children that we couldn’t go swimming right after we ate. I remember very well getting out of the pool, going in for a snack, and then being told I had to wait at least a half hour or sometimes an hour before swimming again. My parents explained to me that swimming after eating is dangerous because it increases your risk of muscle cramps. Yeah, except that it doesn’t. That’s simply not true.
Sometimes we believe these statements because they have been so widely accepted. Nearly everyone you know believes it is true, so it must be true. Or you’ve believed it for such a long time, you can’t imagine it could be false. You likely heard it for the first time when you were a kid, and the longer you believe something, the truer it seems.
The Bible is full of widely held beliefs that Jesus turns completely upside down. For example, you want to find real life? Then be willing to lose yours (Luke 9:23-25). You want to experience complete freedom? Then choose a life of submission (Romans 6:19). Greatness? It’s found in humbly serving others (Matthew 20:26-28). True riches? They’re not accumulated in this life (Matthew 6:19-20). Somehow, you can rejoice in suffering (1 Peter 4:13); you can have nothing yet possess everything (2 Corinthians 6:10).
The way of Jesus may seem counterintuitive. It might feel upside down. But you can always count on the One who is Truth.

Pursuing Today
Look up the following verses:
Luke 6:27-28; Acts 20:35; Romans 12:17, 19; Galatians 2:20; Philippians 3:7-8; James 1:2-4.
Write down the upside-down ways of Jesus that you observe. Underline one or two that you will live out today. If you have more time, read the other passages referenced in today’s devotion.