The Truth That Frees — Not Just the One You Hear

Every Nigerian that grew up in my generation will remember the Milo commercial.

You know the one:

“Milo (claps – pa-pa-pa, pa-pa-pa-pa), Milo!”

Years later, I discovered it’s actually pronounced “Mylo.”

But guess what?

I still call it Milo.

Old habits are stubborn.

Even when you know the truth, it doesn’t mean you’ve accepted it.

John 8:32 says, “And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

But the emphasis here isn’t just on truth. It’s on knowing.

In Scripture, to know goes beyond hearing or acknowledging. It’s experiential...it’s truth that’s been ingested, digested, and lived.

I heard how “Milo” is correctly pronounced, but I didn’t change how I say it.

Because hearing truth is not the same as being transformed by it.

It’s not what we hear that sets us free...it’s what we live.

The same thing happens in marriage.

We hear God’s truth about forgiveness, submission, love, humility, or leadership...

but our upbringing, culture, tradition, and past experiences have taught us their own versions.

And sometimes, those versions feel more comfortable...even when they’re wrong.

So we keep saying Milo, even after hearing Mylo.

We keep practicing “my way,” even after reading “God’s way.”

Because the truth that sets free isn’t the one we hear on Sunday...it’s the one that takes root on Monday.

So what should be our attitude when God’s Word confronts what we’ve always believed, lived, and even defended as truth?

• Humility.
• Surrender.
• Willingness to unlearn.

When the Holy Spirit shows that a belief, habit, or attitude we’ve held for years doesn’t align with God’s Word, the right response isn’t to argue...it’s to yield.

Truth doesn’t just want to be heard.

It wants to transform.

James 1:22 (NLT) says “But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves.”

I love how the MSG transalation puts it "Don’t fool yourself into thinking that you are a listener when you are anything but, letting the Word go in one ear and out the other. Act on what you hear"

The journey from hearing to knowing is where TRUE freedom happens.

👣 Be Better. 💛 Love Better. 🙌🏾 Do Better. 💍Marriage Works.