John 14:6, “Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
Have you ever gotten lost, turned around, or found yourself in serious need of direction? I am known in my family for not being the best navigator. One time I called my dad for directions and he told me to go east. My response? “My internal compass is broken can you tell me if east is left or right?” His response: “Well you are traveling south…” Me: “Dad don’t make me do math right now.” We live in a time where we are constantly being bombarded with the wrong directions. Isaiah 5:20 says, “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!” We also live in a time where we are told to “LiVe YoUr TrUtH” and in doing so, we are eliminating absolute truth. Why is absolute truth so important? Because absolute truth establishes clear, moral boundaries through infallible sources instead of relative truth which is both subjective and conditional.
Often, we are quick to make snap judgments and declare something we have seen or heard as truth without knowing the full context or seeing the full picture. We don’t even ask questions, bother to find out the other side of the story or gather more information, we just make assumptions and assume we are correct. I cannot tell you how many news stories I have seen where just a small portion of an incident is shown to prove their biased position, and when the truth is revealed many viewers or readers don’t see it because the retraction is usually made in very small font at the end of the article or segment. Whenever I see these corrections, I think of the pharmaceutical commercials that has the list of serious side effects listed really fast or spoken in a deep voice at warp speed. Isaiah 5:21 cautions, “Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and shrewd in their own sight!”
I have a strong sense of justice and fairness combined with a heavy dose of loyalty and protectiveness which means, when I hear someone saying disparaging things about those I care about, my first instinct is to lash out in what I would call righteous anger but what others could perceive as just anger. I picture myself walking around with a megaphone, hollering, “ACTUALLY” and then sharing what really happened and then finish in my best Paul Harvey impersonation, “AND NOW YOU KNOW THE REST OF THE STORY!” I then picture a dramatic exit, without me tripping over my own two feet, and the crowd cheering me on because the truth has finally been revealed! So, imagine my surprise, when I read all these different accounts in the Bible of when people have a chance to really stick it to their offender and they choose to not speak and they trust God to reveal the truth and deliver the consequences. (Check out the life of Joseph). Luke 12:2-3 declares, “Nothing is covered up that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. Therefore whatever you have said in the dark shall be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in private rooms shall be proclaimed on the housetops.” Here's the thing, the truth always, ALWAYS comes out. Sometimes it takes time, more than we’d like, but we can trust that God’s timing is PERFECT and He will use each moment for our good and His glory.
As followers of Christ, we are called to proclaim the Gospel. We are supposed to use our voice to speak truth, light, and life to all. In a world where lies, filters, misconceptions, and unbelief are celebrated as factual and authentic, we must stand firm in the absolute truth of the Word of God. So that when others look at us, they see Christ in us, and how He has changed us, how His truth has given us hope, and we must be prepared to share with them how they can have that same hope living within them. God didn’t save us to perpetuate the illusion of perfection. Grace and truth. Truth and grace. We cannot receive grace we so desperately crave without allowing the truth to be revealed.
3 John 1:4, “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.”
Read: Genesis 37 & 45
Consider: What are some instances in the Bible where the Roar of Truth was revealed in the midst of a lie?
Do: While it can be easy to speak even a little white lie, what are some things you can do to ensure that you speak the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, even if it makes you uncomfortable or results in you having to admit to any wrongdoing?
Prayer: Write out a prayer and ask God to help you to walk in truth and speak the truth always.
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