SPEAKING TRUTH

I Was Just Thinking About – SPEAKING TRUTH.

One of the hallmarks of this nation has been a defense of truth. Armies have been amassed over the years to protect and defend “liberty and justice for all.” People in the military have faced great challenges and defeated strong enemies to maintain these standards. There are ongoing conflicts and engagements where people in the military are facing death and the possibility of maimed bodies in this cause. Ah, you may say, what has happened to “truth” in this mix and result? Good question!

We are living in a climate where accusations of sexual misconduct by powerful men are surfacing. Despite denials by them, in several instances there is an almost immediate acceptance of the words of an accuser and a condemnation and purged of the accused. In some instances, the accusations surfacing is from almost four decades ago. Lost in this trend and rush to judgment is one is to be presumed “innocent until proven guilty.” A new interpretation of this is now attached to state that “innocent until proven guilty” applies to legal issues but not to predatory or political accusations.

Making this a bit more difficult are the immediate denials by the accused and “wishy-washy” explanations of what went on and/or why large cash settlements were made to silence the accuser. When the accused are asked direct yes or no questions, there is vacillation and sometimes contradiction in the given responses.

Proverbs 8:5-8 has this instruction for all people in all walks of life: “O simple ones, learn prudence; O fools, learn sense. Hear, for I will speak noble things, and from my lips will come what is right, for my mouth will utter truth; wickedness is an abomination to my lips. All the words of my mouth are righteous; there is nothing twisted or crooked in them.”

If only people in the areas of politics and media would give heed to these guidelines for interpersonal relationships and discourse. If only people in all areas of life would look each other directly in the eye and respond with integrity. Regrettably, this is where the problem occurs. There has been a loss of integrity, ethical interaction and demise of scruples (a feeling of doubt or hesitation with regard to the morality or propriety of a course of action or response given).

In a long list of that which should characterize what and who a Biblical Christian is, Ephesians 4:22-25 states: “Put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another.” If only, this was the embraced standard and value system in our culture and nation.

Prayerfully – consider these things with me.