Truth with a “T” is hard to discern in the sea of data that is shouting at us constantly. There are many facts that can be bent, twisted and molded to the purposes of the one standing at the podium, but Truth is often more elusive.
In the Gospels, Jesus broke through the reams of rules designed by the religious establishment with the power of a parable. We also see examples of how Jesus established Truth through simple but powerful actions.
In today’s world, visual tools such as maps and infographics are critical to helping Truth to speak. In the most recent Economist, they have an excellent piece on the power of textbooks to influence culture and a nation’s interests. But one quote from the article grabbed my attention. The reporter talked with Simone Lässig of the Georg Eckert Institute in Braunschweig, Germany. This group researches textbooks and has collected them from 160 countries. Which ones do you think might be the most debated across the globe? Lässig “says the most contentious are books covering history and geography, especially when they include maps…”
When I read that quote it jumped off the page. What a powerful insight into the fight for Truth in our world today! Leaders, activists, politicians and soldiers are fighting for the hearts of the next generation and they know that maps can lay bare many realities they would rather keep hidden and out of sight.
That makes the work of GMI so critical in today’s world where information is regularly used to deceive. Spirit-led research and creative presentation helps the Truth to speak loud and clear. The research and maps that our researchers and the countless other mission researches around the world are producing are key to giving us a True picture of the world as God sees it.