Realing

The spin causes a different kind of reeling. When someone puts a 'spin' on information they present fact or fiction in such a way as to sway the hearer toward a certain take on it. In dice, you put 'spin' on the dice in order to give the appearance that they've been fairly thrown, while the faces you want will remain on top the whole time. Top spin is put on a tennis ball to send it in a certain direction. Spin doctors are named for their ability to put the right 'slant' or 'spin' on an event (http://www.randomhouse.com/wotd/index.pperl?date=20000928.) It can make your head go reeling. It's part of the way our political parties do elections. It's the way publicists handle unfavorable info about a celeb. The marketing dept. has to spin the latest negative findings about a pharmaceutical. (ooh, I just noticed pharisee has part of the same root as pharmaceutical!...But never mind.) Is this the way the church handles conflict, information, or events? Most of us know that too often it can be. When it hits, all that reeling makes me nauseated.

I can't change the spin and make it go away. I can't ignore it. But, I can doubt it. I can look closely for truth and ask questions. I can notice discrepancies and things that conflict with what I know to be true. Then I have to make a decision. OK, it gets harder at this part. More about this later.

Where does truth come from?

"I, the Lord, speak the truth;
I declare what is right." Isa. 45:19

The only source is Truth Himself. He cares passionately about it, too. He tells his people:

"These are the things you are to do: Speak truth to each other, and render true and sound judgment in your courts; do not plot evil against your neighbor, and do not love to swear falsely. I hate all this." Zech. 9:16,17

The Lord detests lying lips,
but he delights in men who are truthful. Prov. 12:22

When He, the Spirit of Truth comes, He will guide you into all the Truth. John 16:13

So it seems that speaking truthfully is important. Frankly, we can all spin things to leave out what might make a negative impression. We exaggerate for effect. Hopefully we become more sensitive to nuance and do it less often. Only God is perfectly truthful. So the wise person has to decide when to speak (or not,) when to make peace and when to challenge the spin.

Reckless words pierce like a sword,
but the tongue of the wise brings healing. Prov. 12:18
Wisdom reposes in the heart of the discerning...… Prov. 14:33
The heart of the righteous weighs its answers...… Prov. 15:28
A wise man's heart guides his mouth...… Prov. 16:23

If the spin is harmless, it's one thing, but if there is "smooth talk and flattery deceiving the minds of innocent people," then Romans 16 says watch out for those not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites.

I am trying to sort through the fog of spin doctoring and philosophical differences in the events of this week (locally) to get to the bottom line of truth. Looking for the real. Till then I am judging the fruit, not the people. And I don't like what I see. So I am going to be careful.