Truth Instructions
I recently heard someone say that there are many versions of the truth. My internal alarms went off. I can’t remember where I heard it from, but I’m confident that it may have been related to politics. I’ve also heard people say that “there’s the truth, but then there are other peoples ‘version’ of the truth”. I am a fan of getting to the bottom of things. Truth, in my view, is absolute and not variable. I believe that people’s view of right and wrong are based upon what they do with the truth.
The opposite of truth is a lie. I see this as fairly black and white. If I’m being honest and forthright with the truth, there are no “cover-up stories” or lies to cover my behavior. Speaking truth is not always easy because others can be hurt by the truth. Telling the truth is always the best policy.
Jeremiah was getting in trouble because he was prophesying what the Lord told him about the people of Jerusalem. They didn’t like his message, so they imprisoned him. The king wanted to speak to him privately and secretively. Check this out….
14 Then King Zedekiah sent for Jeremiah the prophet and had him brought to the third entrance to the temple of the Lord. “I am going to ask you something,” the king said to Jeremiah. “Do not hide anything from me.”
15 Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, “If I give you an answer, will you not kill me? Even if I did give you counsel, you would not listen to me.”
16 But King Zedekiah swore this oath secretly to Jeremiah: “As surely as the Lord lives, who has given us breath, I will neither kill you nor hand you over to those who want to kill you.” (Jeremiah 38:14-16 NLT)
I love the fact that Jeremiah pushed back a bit on the king. His life was already threatened, so he had little to lose. If I truly believe that I’m being held accountable before the Lord for the words I speak, then the truth is most common coming from my lips. I see a confidence in Jeremiah that should accompany the truth.
When I speak truth, it matters.
When I partial truth, it is harmful to me and to others.
I want to think before I speak and make sure that the words that come from my mouth or from my fingers (texting/typing) are truth, even if there is a lengthly explanation. The truth can stand the test of time and multiple observations and investigations. Lies are exposed and trust is broken. Always be truthful.
Pressing On!
Dwayne