The Elephant of Truth
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Philippians 4:8 (NIV)
We had some big, old, fat elephants that lived in our house when I was growing up. My mother or grandmother was always shushing me as I was a curious child. I was rebuked with phrases like: “We don’t talk about that at the table” or “Now is not the time.” Today I can laugh at these enormous beasts that used to take up space in our home. David L. Winters (All God’s Creatures) has written a devotion about his elephants and what they taught him.
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As we walked around the Columbus Zoo, the sunshine and moderate fall temperatures brightened everyone’s mood. My nieces and nephews ran from attraction to attraction, seemingly more excited about each new animal.
One of my favorite exhibits was a salute to African elephants, the mighty beasts living as they might in the wild. According to a plaque located outside their habitat area, these elephants are the world’s largest land animal, weighing up to six tons.
As I read a few facts about the mammoth creatures, my mind wandered to my own recovery from a sometimes-difficult childhood. In our house growing up, our family ignored many elephants in the room, including alcoholism, drug addiction, and emotional abuse. For me, many of these truths were as large and unwieldy as actual elephants, and they were never mentioned.
Truth isn’t the end of our journey into healthy thinking. In recovery, I learned that it’s the prerequisite for finding freedom. Once we learn to be honest, we can move on to thoughts that are noble (like forgiveness), just, pure, and loving. My truth is Jesus, who frees us from the penalty of our sins and the entrapment of focusing on the sins of others.
While the elephants at the zoo reminded me of some painful memories from the past, the large beasts also reminded me of a now much-healthier generation of family. Gone are the ghosts of past insecurities, and now I can focus on love and laughter, things that filled that idyllic afternoon and that reaffirmed for me that life can get much better when Jesus comes into our hearts and families.
Gracious Father, thank You for the insight that You give to us. Help us to desire truth in all we do, think, or say. Teach us to step out in truth and to stand tall in our world today. AMEN.