Insight

You have to love Thomas’s honesty in John 20. When Jesus appeared before the disciples after His death, Thomas is the only one in the room who had the courage to verbalize the uncertainty all of them felt. So, he asked Jesus for something practical: “Jesus, you have turned our world upside down by saying you’re leaving. Could you give us some direction so that we can be certain of the future?”

We live in an uncertain world. Just when we think that our marriage will last forever, we hear the words, “I want a divorce.” Or, when we think that we will be able to grow old and enjoy our time left here, the doctor tells us, “It’s terminal.” We live in such an uncertain world that we are told the only things certain in this life are death and taxes. But, Jesus has already given us all the certainty we need for this uncertain world. He said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” There is no checklist. There are no step-by-step directions. Instead, He points to Himself.

Many people want to know if they are on the right path to eternal salvation. One person tells you that as long as you are a good person, then you are on the right path. Another says that as long as you do good things, then you are on the right path. Yet another tells you that God has predestined your future, so where you end up isn’t your decision. It’s no wonder, then, that there’s so much uncertainty out there. As the desire for direction ascends from the depths of our heart, we hear the words, “I am the Way. If you are uncertain about whether you are on the right path to heaven, don’t look to anyone else. Rather, look to Me. All you have to do is stay focused on Me and you can know beyond any doubt that you are going the right direction.”

You may think that truth is something you can put on paper and memorize, then be certain you have it in your hands. But, truth isn’t something, it is Someone. The words echo through the ages, “I am the Truth.”

If you want to know what truth is, look to Jesus. Everything that passes for truth in this world can be measured alongside Jesus, and whatever would pass for truth that does not equate with His life or His teaching is no truth at all.

People try to find certainty in life by any means necessary. They try chasing promotions at work, they try making as much money as possible and forgoing the things that truly matter, they try through drugs, alcohol, or relationships. Some even try through religion and strive for perfection through their own actions. But, none of these things brings the certainty of a fulfilling life. That’s when Jesus’s words reach us, “I am the Life.”

We live in an uncertain world. We stop and ask for directions that seem to get us anywhere but where we intend to be. But Jesus says, “Follow me. Without the way there is no going; without the truth there is no knowing; without the life there is no living. I am the way you must follow, the truth you must believe, and the life for which you must hope.” Jesus is our Way, our Truth, and our Life.