Happy Truthful Saturday, friends!
(Now you’re wondering if I’ve been just making stuff up every Saturday).
While I appreciate a good well-spun yarn as much as anyone, I try to always be as truthful as possible so I don’t have to remember what I made up.
Here’s what got my ponder-er going about truth this morning: my reading in Zechariah 8.
“This is what the LORD Almighty says: ‘Just as I had determined to bring disaster on you and showed no pity when your ancestors angered me,’ says the LORD Almighty, ‘so now I have determined to do good again to Jerusalem and Judah. Do not be afraid. These are the things you are to do: Speak the truth to each other, and render true and sound judgment in your courts; do not plot evil against each other, and do not love to swear falsely. I hate all this,’ declares the LORD” (8:14-17).
The phrase that stuck out for me was “Speak the truth to each other.”
That sent me on a search for a photo background to use.
When I ran across the one you see in this post, it grabbed my attention.
Two things occur to me as I looked at that photo.
1. Truth is sometimes messy. It doesn’t always come in pristine calligraphy or elegant oratory.
Sometimes it’s scrawled out with trembling or choked out through tears.
Sometimes it’s painful to both the speaker and hearer—which is why the Apostle Paul admonished us to speak it in love (Ephesians 4:15) and for building up, not tearing down (Ephesians 4:29).
2. Truth is often trampled underfoot for the sake of selfish gain.
In looking at that card, I could imagine it being cast aside by someone unwilling to hold onto it and then stepped on by multitudes unwilling to pick it up again.
Once truth in love—for the purpose of God’s glory and human flourishing—has been cast aside, it’s hard to reclaim.
It becomes subjective, manipulative, self-serving, weaponized.
That’s why we need a standard. A guide. A lamp to light the path ahead of us.
And that’s today’s hymn text.
There’s a phrase from the second stanza of this song (not pictured) that reminds us the ultimate expression of truth.
“Jesus, be my guide and hold me to Your side.”
Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life.”
Wherever we go.
Whatever we do.
Whatever we say.
He is the truth in which we can live, so that we can confidently speak the truth to each other.
Here’s one truth spoken in love for today:
Though I will certainly be pondering every Saturday, I won’t be posting for the next 3.
I’m taking a social media break from July 30-August 17.
Saturday pondering will return August 22.
You are loved.
Be amazing today, my friend.
