The Truth is Enough

I spent 10 years writing, producing, and presenting tap dance shows before I preached my first sermon. I walked into this “new” world with all the skill set of a theatre director/writer/performer. I understood how to build tension, offer releases, and send the audience on an emotional journey, pointing them to where I wanted in the end.

One of my mentors at the time was probably quite surprised when I shared the approach I felt led to take when preparing for sermons. No theatre. No preconceived emotional journies. I would speak the truth as revealed to me and that should be enough.

Shouldn’t it? Shouldn’t the truth be enough? As best as we can see it, as clearly as it’s been given, shouldn’t a retelling be enough? Doesn’t seem like it.

It seems like we desire the moving image, the drama, and the song to break through the media that already surrounds us. It seems like we yearn for a renewal of all facets of life around us before we find ourselves changing.

It doesn’t always work that way. Sometimes we have to do the work to see the vision we’ve been given come to life. But the work is contingent on the message. And the message is the truth. Nothing more, nothing less.