(Author’s note: The emperor in question is not a specific world leader. It’s a world system and a world view.)
I feel like I am living somewhere in the middle of a twisted version of the old tale, The Emperor’s New Clothes. You remember it. A couple of con-men come into the empire and convince everyone that they can make amazing clothes that can only be seen by the best and the brightest. They then set about to collect a fortune to make clothes that don’t exist. The story culminates in a grand parade where the emperor parades down the street buck naked and everyone oohs and aahs over the amazing clothes because no one wants to admit that they can’t see them. To do so would be to admit that they are not among he best and the brightest. The day is saved by a little boy who dares to scream, “The emperor is naked!” at which point all the people including the emperor see the error of their ways, and, thanks to the little boy, they all lived happily ever after, well except for the con men. If only…
In this new version of the story, it all happens pretty much the same, except the story is not a fairy tale. It’s happening in reality. The emperor likes being naked and wants everyone to see. The little boy makes his stand and is, stripped, beaten and locked away in a reeducation camp until he can “see the clothes” and the only ones who live happily ever after are the con men perpetrating the lie. Up is down, down is up, right is wrong and wrong is right and heaven help you if you see it any other way. Everyone has their own “truth” and conflicts between those “truths,” which makes at least one of the “truths” categorically false, are completely ignored. It reminds me of the time of the Judges, “In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as they saw fit.” Judges 21:25
Well here’s the things folks. The emperor is an idiot. He’s running around naked, and everyone can see it. They’re just all afraid to admit it for fear of what the rest of the people who are afraid to acknowledge the truth will think, while the con-men perpetrating the lie laugh all the way to the bank.
The emperor is naked. His system is broken. The good news is there is a King. His name is Jesus. Follow Him into all truth.
AMOKArts 