What Happened to Truth? Reclaiming Our North Star in an Age of Moral Drift

By Rob Riesmeyer, Elder

There’s a story from the Titanic that never gets old, no matter how many times it’s told. John Jacob Astor IV, one of the wealthiest men aboard, gave up his lifeboat seat to save two young children. Isidor Straus, co-owner of Macy’s, refused to take a place before other men. His wife, Ida, handed her spot to their maid and stayed behind to die with the man she loved.

These weren’t rash decisions made in panic. They were the outworking of something deeply embedded—a moral compass anchored to virtue, honor, and truth.

Fast forward to today, and you must ask: Would the same decisions be made? Would people of wealth, power, or influence choose sacrifice over self-preservation?

It’s a question that cuts deeper than a historical comparison. It forces us to confront something pressing and uncomfortable:

Have we lost our sense of right and wrong?

The Rise of “My Truth” and the Fall of Shared Convictions

We live in an age where truth is no longer absolute but personalized. Culture tells us that your and my truth can be valid, even if they contradict. What matters most, we’re told, is not what is right, but what is real for me.

It sounds liberating on the surface—freedom, self-expression, tolerance. But when truth becomes fluid, so does morality, justice, identity, and God.

And without a fixed point, we drift.

The Bible warned us this would happen. 2 Timothy 4: 3 & 4 says:

“For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their passions.”

Sound familiar?

In a world where we follow influencers more than instruction, and feelings more than faith, it’s easy to become spiritually seasick, tossed about by every wave of opinion, trend, and ideology. We’ve traded the solid rock of God’s Word for shifting sand. And the consequences are everywhere.

The Compass Still Points North

But here’s the hope: the truth has not changed.

Jesus didn’t say, “I am a way, a truth, and a lifestyle that works for some people.” He said:

“I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6)

He wasn’t offering an option. He was declaring reality. Jesus is the fixed point in a disoriented world. The compass still works. The North Star still shines. We’ve just stopped looking up.

The solution to our moral drift isn’t cultural reform—it’s spiritual return. We need to reclaim the cornerstone of our faith, not just for ourselves, but for a generation that’s never known what it means to stand on truth.

Truth Is Not a Weapon—It’s a Lifeline

Let’s be honest: some have used “truth” like a club, not a compass. They’ve wielded Scripture without grace, correcting without compassion. That’s not the way of Jesus either.

But overcorrecting into silence isn’t the answer. Jesus spoke the truth in love, and He did it with courage. He wasn’t afraid to challenge the culture but always did it with purpose and redemption in mind.

Truth, when anchored in Christ, isn’t divisive. It’s liberating.

We don’t cling to truth to win arguments—we hold onto it because it’s our lifeline. It shows us who God is, who we are, and how to live in the chaos.

We’re Not the First to Drift

Scripture is full of stories of God’s people losing their way. One that stands out is found in the Book of Judges:

“In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.” (Judges 21:25)

Sound familiar again?

It’s the same drift we’re seeing today: a vacuum of leadership, a rejection of moral authority, and the belief that we can be our own gods.

But God doesn’t leave His people in the drift. He calls them back—over and over—with grace, mercy, and truth. And He’s still calling us today.

Living with a Fixed Compass

So, how do we reclaim our North Star? How do we anchor ourselves and our families in a world that is adrift?

Here’s what it looks like:

1. Start with the Word

The Bible isn’t just an old book—it’s a living guide. It doesn’t flex with culture; it shapes it. Make it your first and final authority.

2. Re-center on Christ

Don’t let your faith become a side dish to your life. Christ isn’t just your Savior—He’s your cornerstone. Everything else is built around Him.

3. Teach Truth to the Next Generation

If we don’t, the world will. And the world is not a neutral teacher. Make conversations about truth, grace, and character normal in your home.

4. Live Out Your Faith Publicly and Privately

We’re called to be salt and light. That means integrity at work, kindness with your neighbors, and courage when it matters most.

5. Refuse to Compromise for Comfort

Like Astor and Straus, sometimes doing the right thing will cost you something. But it’s in those moments that our faith shines brightest.

Truth Anchors Us in the Storm

Our culture is in a storm right now—politically, socially, spiritually. But storms aren’t new. Jesus calmed them before, and He’s still in the business of doing it today.

The anchor is Christ.

The map is His Word.

The mission is clear: Hold fast. Speak truth. Love boldly. Live sacrificially. And trust that He is still on the throne.

Final Thoughts

There’s a line in C.S. Lewis’s The Silver Chair where the lion Aslan tells the children:

“Remember the signs. Say them to yourself when you wake in the morning and when you lie down at night… Even if everyone tells you something wrong is right.”

We need that same reminder today.

So let this be our signpost: Jesus is still the Truth. His Word is still alive. And we are still called to follow.

Not for applause. Not for comfort. But because the world needs lighthouse keepers—people who stand firm when the tide pulls others away.

Let’s be those people again.

Let’s follow the North Star home.