Jesus came to this earth to show people how to agree with God and do His will. Agree? I hope so because that's what normative truth is all about, agreement. As shared in previous devotions, objective and subjective truth are different ways of knowing. However, because someone is knowledgeable doesn't mean they follow the "norms" or expectations of faith or live truthfully. You see, Jesus came down from heaven not to do his subjective thing but to do the objective something of the One who sent him (John 6:38). He did so to help us connect the dots to show us how to live in agreement with God and others—God is God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Normative truth has to do with the norms of Life. Expectations, where togetherness thrives, and relationships are the picture of how they function well in agreement with God and others. This truth is all about working together toward the same result. Literally, this truth is about being in harmony. It's about coming together in our similarities and celebrating our differences. How often does unity not happen because people in relationships or communities act differently than the group's or team's norms? Marriages, families, friendships, churches, etc., must agree to the standards or criteria of Life to be healthy. For the Christian, just as Jesus demonstrated, we are to generally work in the means of God rather than man. In other words, we are to be on the same page of music with God and others in agreement with Life.

The norms of the Christian faith are the teachings of Christ presented in the Holy Bible. I refer to these teachings as the Wonderfully Weird Commands of Christ. These norms develop character personally and collectively in relationships in agreement with God. They are norms because, based on the understanding in the faith, it is how good habits are formed in relationship to God's perfect expression of Life towards humanity. "Where two or more are gathered," in God's norms, does Life thrive and move forward and upward for mankind (Matthew 18:19-20).

We learn normative truths when we are willing to go after what has been agreed upon through togetherness or community; different relationships and settings require different norms. Observing, listening, and communicating well make this truth a reality in all environments. All things are possible when attention and discussion come together in communion, where normative truths become real. It's then, and only then, that relationships will be strengthened, and Life will be restored to its actual reality.

To be normal in the faith means agreeing with God and others objectively and subjectively living well together. I encourage all to examine their norms to see if they are in agreement with God and others or living in a different reality. If you live in a dimension by yourself, learn normative truth, and agree with God and others to be better in the agreement of Life, where it's good always where normative truth rules.

With appreciation,

Pastor Drake