Richard Franz

On August 28, 1963, at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., Martin Luther King Jr. delivered a stirring speech with a vision for the future. The speech was delivered as the United States of America struggled with fighting a war on two fronts. One was a military battle overseas in a place called Vietnam, while the other was a civil/social battle, a war on its own soil grappling with segregation of black people from white people.

Have you ever considered all the things we take as truth, things that actually shape our lives by guiding our behaviors, habits, and attitudes? Some of our beliefs come from friends to whom we gave credibility for reasons we have long forgotten. Others were handed down to us by our parents, and some of what we take for granted is "just the way things are."

Have you ever heard someone speak lies aloud almost as a way of affirming or looking for affirmation what they want to believe was true? Have you ever done this yourself?

There is an old adage that states “many a true word is said in jest.” This phrase literally means that the truth is often found in comic utterances. This expression has been around longer than we appreciate; it is also painfully true.

When this idiom first appeared in English it was likely used in “The Cook’s Tale,” written by Geoffrey Chaucer in 1390. Writing in the medieval dialect of Middle English, Chaucer stated: “But yet I pray thee be not wroth for game; [don’t be angry with my jesting] A man may say full sooth [the truth] in game and play.”

Loyalty, devotion, and dedication—are these traits still character qualities we strive to establish in our walk through life? Is “commitment” an old-fashioned notion or an idea long past its expiration date?

Consider when English Prime Minister Winston Churchill stood alone in the world against the evil aggressive powers of the Nazi regime. His commitment to stand against the oppressive and malicious intentions of Adolph Hitler earned him worldwide respect, and he is now regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the 20th century.

I remember fondly an old children's story called The Blind Men and the Elephant. This profound yet simple story is a great illustration of the limitations of human perception.

One version of the story describes six blind men living in a village. One day, a caravan of travelers came bringing an elephant. The blind men had no idea what an elephant was, and together they went to "see" it for themselves! Each of them unknowingly inspected by touch only part of the elephant and then reported his conclusion to the other men.