The Suede Sofa Blog

Greater Truth vs. Lesser Truth

There’s a powerful distinction in the Christian life that changes everything once you see it:

⬆️The Greater Truth — The ultimate truth. Who God is and what God says.

⬇️ The Lesser Truth — Our own personal truth. Our situation, thoughts, and feelings. Our current circumstances.

While both are realities, The Greater Truth supersedes and overrides The Lesser Truth, just as gravity is a natural law but must yield to the laws of aerodynamics.

In this photo, you can see the storm below the surface.

That’s like our Lesser Truth. It is a reality and it may be very tumultuous, but it can’t erase or negate what is going on at a higher level – the TRUTH that God reigns above it all – where “all is calm and all is bright”.

So what is the biblical and practical response for us in regards to The Greater Truth and The Lesser Truth?

We can take a page out of the playbook of King David and the Apostle Paul. They would constantly acknowledge their present circumstance, as grim as it may be, but they weren’t impressed with it. Instead, they would intentionally turn their focus towards God, keeping their heart’s affections firmly rooted in Him.

You can apply this same truth. The following is a framework I call the “2-Step Greater Truth Framework”. It will help you appropriately acknowledge The Lesser Truth and then apply The Greater Truth. It looks like this:

The 2-Step Greater Truth Framework

Step – Admit your Lesser Truth – your personal truth. In Psalm 51, King David said,

“You want me to be completely truthful. So teach me wisdom.”

―Psalm 51:6 (ICB)

Our Lesser Truth is like the “You Are Here” symbol on the mall map. It shows us where we are, our starting point. But we don’t camp out there.

Step – Land on The Greater Truth, it’s your desired destination. But to get there, we first must know where we are starting from.

Start with acknowledging your Lesser Truth. It’s not healthy to ignore, deny, or not deal appropriately with your Lesser Truth. Be aware, informed, and proactive, just don’t be impressed and obsessed with it. Take appropriate actions to deal with your Lesser Truth, but then, always land on The Greater Truth – the promise of God regarding the need or circumstance you find yourself in.

Search out the Psalms and you will see this progression from Lesser Truth to Greater Truth. King David did it constantly. He would start off by being brutally honest about his situation and how he felt, but then he would transition to The Greater Truth of Who God is and the promises God had made.

Here’s one example:

In Psalm 69, David starts off this chapter with his following Lesser Truth (vs. 1-3):

“Save me, O God, for the waters have come up to my neck. I sink in the miry depths, where there is no foothold. I have come into the deep waters; the floods engulf me. I am worn out calling for help; my throat is parched. My eyes fail, looking for my God.”

But by the end of the chapter, he has transitioned to The Greater Truth of Who God is (vs. 33-36)

“The Lord hears the needy and does not despise his captive people. Let heaven and earth praise him, the seas and all that move in them, for God will save Zion and rebuild the cities of Judah. Then people will settle there and possess it; the children of his servants will inherit it, and those who love his name will dwell there.”

You can see other examples of this 2-Step Greater Truth Framework in chapters 28, 109, and in other Psalms. The Apostle Paul also did this when he was in prison. He acknowledged his situation, but always turned his attention and focus on Who God is and His promises.

Whatever circumstance or situation you face today, I am praying for you. Praying you’ll focus your attention and affections on God.

He is GOOD.

He is LOVING.

He is KIND.

He is WISE.

He is TRUE.

He is JUST.

He is FAITHFUL.

He is PERFECT.

He is SOVEREIGN.

He is HOLY.

He is POWERFUL.

He is a VERY, VERY, GOOD DAD.

Always remember, He has a promise for whatever situation you face.

And He Reigns Above It All

💗What Your Words Reveal About Your Heart

“Great minds discuss ideas. Average minds discuss events. Small minds discuss people.” ~Eleanor Roosevelt

Ouch. That quote can be very convicting.

Every so often it’s a good practice to examine and evaluate ourselves. 2 Corinthians 13:5 (NIV) says, “Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test?”

And a great place to begin examining ourselves is by what comes out of our mouth because it directly reveals the content of our heart.

“A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.” Luke 6:45 (NIV)

The quote by Eleanor Roosevelt that began this post is a practical tool we can use to gauge our heart condition and the heart condition of our POSSE, the group we regularly hang out with.

It can be sobering to see our heart – on display – right before our eyes by the habitual words that we speak.

Is the majority of our talk about other people?

Is the majority of our talk about events?

Is the majority of our talk about ideas?

If you’re in the last category, thank you for your example. You are in the top 5% of people living with integrity and character. You are a HERO and MENTOR – a LEADER WORTH FOLLOWING.

There are times when we examine ourselves and should have (what leadership and personal growth mentors call) our “day of disgust”. A day that we become so repulsed by our thoughts, words, and actions (and their consequences) that we say, “ENOUGH!”

Is it time to uplevel your speech?

Is it time to uplevel your reference group?

If you’re ready to uplevel, the only way that will happen is for you to begin exposing yourself to the people and content (what you’re watching, listening to, & reading) that will deposit the kind of seeds that you want to reap a harvest on. And then make it habitual.

This constantly convicts me and challenges me.

And in this place of quiet reflection, it is a great time to take a page out of King David’s playbook – the man who is said to have a heart after God – and adopt his prayer from Psalm 19:14 (NIV),

“May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.”

Leverage Your Disadvantage

This ⬆️ PICTURE right here!! It is a treasure. It not only brings back great memories, but it also encapsulates a POWERFUL PRINCIPLE:

l e v e r a g e

y o u r

d i s a d v a n t a g e

It was over 28 years ago that I moved to Chanute, Kansas to be a high school science teacher and freshmen girls volleyball coach.

Most of my students were freshmen, which I loved as it afforded me the opportunity to get to know them as freshmen and then watch them grow and mature all the way through high school.

And those of us who were freshmen teachers, tended to think that these freshmen were “our kids”. We advocated for them, encouraged them, cheered them on, and as best as we could, championed their cause.

This picture was taken in the fall of 2000 during Homecoming week. These were my freshmen volleyball players.

One tradition during this week was class competition where each class was assigned a particular color to wear. Then during a pep rally, the classes would be judged and the color that was best represented would win the class competition.

But there was ONE PROBLEM.

The competition was rigged.

So, as a result, the excitement level for this competition, across the board, was not very high.

Of course, the seniors chose the colors and every year it pretty much looked something like this:

SENIORS were assigned the color BLUE and all they needed to do was wear blue jeans and a blue shirt.

And with each preceding class, the colors got a bit more challenging.

The JUNIORS would get a color such as WHITE where they would wear a white t-shirt.

The SOPHOMORES might get ORANGE or HOT PINK.

But then, when it came to the FRESHMEN, they were not given a color, instead, they were given something so outrageous that there was no (seemingly) possible way for them to win.

Enter this freshmen class.

When the class competition colors were announced, no one was surprised to hear that the freshmen class “color” was:

a n i m a l p r i n t

And while some might resign themselves to defeat or complain about this injustice happening TO THEM (“animal print is NOT a color!!”), not this bunch.

Instead, they banded together. They decided this ingenious “animal print” verdict would happen FOR THEM. So, they came up with a plan. They bought out Walmart’s white t-shirts and black sharpies, and scheduled “cow-painting” parties. And their plan and ACTION began to build MOMENTUM and EXCITEMENT.

With all this unexpected BUZZ, something interesting happened.

The upperclassmen began to hear what the “down-for-the count” freshmen were up to.

And they were bound and determined not to be “showed up” by a group of freshmen.

In a matter of just a few days, a new homecoming tradition was born.

Classes began to galvanize around a mission that was exciting – to (legitimately) win the class competition. Banners were made and mounted on poles to be waved and carried by fanatic students running across the gym floor. Students began to create headbands and scarves and any additional piece of clothing or paraphernalia they could add to to give them an extra edge.

It is a memory I will never forget – the excitement that permeated our building the entire week. And then that assembly where the class competition winner would be announced – I get goosebumps just thinking about it. The volume in our school gym during that PEP ASSEMBLY was a LEVEL 10+.

A student body that had been lukewarm at best, was now, CRAZY-OUT-OF-THEIR-MIND, in the best sort of way.

And it began a new HOMECOMING TRADITION.

The class competition that year was close on all accounts. And while the freshmen didn’t win (of course, I thought, they should have!), I have to admit, every class represented and outdid themselves.

And all because a group of kids who were written off, leveraged their disadvantage. Instead of ANIMAL PRINT happening TO THEM, it happened FOR THEM. And quite possibly for everyone else too.

What a LIFE PRINCIPLE.

At some point in life, we all get our own version of the “ANIMAL PRINT VERDICT” and find ourselves at a disadvantage.

It could be a life circumstance, disease or an illness, being mistreated by others, or hundreds of other negative experiences that life throws our way.

That’s when we get to decide the narrative.

Will this happen TO US or will it happen FOR US?

We’re the only ones who get to determine the outcome. And that outcome will be by the narrative of our choosing.

I’m encouraged by a couple of Bible verses that rally us to leverage the disadvantage for our advantage. FOR US, rather than TO US.

In Genesis 50:20 (NLT), Joseph who was sold into slavery by his brothers decades earlier, told his brothers,

“You intended to harm me, but GOD INTENDED IT ALL FOR GOOD. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people.”

Or another favorite, Romans 8:28 (NIV),

“And we know that IN ALL THINGS GOD WORKS FOR THE GOOD of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

That’s what it means to LEVERAGE YOUR DISADVANTAGE.

To see life happening FOR YOU, not TO YOU.

And the ONE FACTOR that will determine whether or not your situation will be leveraged for your advantage – FOR YOU – isn’t the situation, the economy, other people, your health, your family, or any other factor. No, the ONE FACTOR is YOU.

You get to determine your narrative and your outcome.

I’m cheering you on. God’s cheering you on.

Now it’s up to you.

TO YOU or FOR YOU?

🤠Get Your Posse

GET YOUR POSSE!!

You were not created to do life alone.

That’s my story and I’m sticking to it!

You were made to live in community. And not just any community, but one where you belong, are loved, accepted, but also challenged. One that will nudge you continually to live more in alignment with your values, vision, and your SACRED MISSION. One where you are seen, heard, and understood.

Where you are, “Celebrated, not just tolerated.”

That’s the only way to truly thrive.

Do you have a POSSE of individuals who share your values and beliefs? If not, is it time to start either building that POSSE or up-leveling? Your friends are one of the biggest determining factors of your destiny so choose wisely!

The following is a blog post I wrote years ago about this subject and I am always surprised to see how this principle of “Getting your Posse!” resonates with people, so I am sharing it with you again in hopes that you will either begin finding your POSSE or upleveling and nurturing the one you have.

“Battles fought alone are overwhelming, but battles fought together are exciting.” ~Jim Molinari (Men’s Basketball Coach – Boston College)

Picture this . . .

A posse riding into in an Old West town.

Dust flying.

Heads turning.

And with the posse’s presence comes a sense of relief. Law and order will be restored.

Not only is this group of comrades fighting for a greater cause, they also have confidence they will prevail. That is because they understand there is power in numbers and they are a force to be reckoned with.

But that isn’t all they have going for them. In fact, their biggest asset may be that they share a tight bond and they have each other’s backs.

Now insert yourself in this picture with your best buddies. Your closest friends and confidants. Those people that can help you in your journey of life. Those people you can text, call, message or reach out to for help, encouragement, and support.

This is your posse.

They will be there for you when you don’t feel like you can fight another day. When you need a cheerleader. Or when you need a shoulder to cry on.

And they will pick you up, dust you off, and help you get back in the game when you fall down.

If you’re thinking, “But I don’t have a posse.” Then start with what you have. Can you find one person, one buddy, one accountability partner or whatever you want to call them that can help you?

Getting a person to support you and hold you accountable through this journey is a BIG DEAL.

Seriously.

So start thinking. Who is someone you can trust? Someone who has your back? Someone you can be honest with and who will be honest with you? Someone who will be your cheerleader, but will also give you a reality check when necessary?

Then think about a posse. Where can you find a group of people with a common purpose? Is it at work? At the gym? At church? In your social settings? On Facebook?

Going solo can be lonely. Besides, life is just a whole lot more fun and the journey a whole lot more enjoyable when you are taking it with your buddy.

Or with a posse.