THE PRICE OF TELLING THE TRUTH

Just how important is upholding the truth to you? What price are you willing to pay?

There are times when we need to lay the truth on the line. Tell it like it is. Stand up and be

counted. Regardless of the cost to us personally.

Of course, the name of the game today is: “To get along is to go along.” “Don’t rock the

boat.” “Go with the flow.”

The Scriptures, however, tersely remind us that deceit is not an option for the believer:

“The Lord detests lying lips, but He delights in men who are truthful.” (Proverbs 12:22)

“Those who practice lies… their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur.” (hell) (Revelation

21:8b)

Stanley Hauerwas makes this startling observation,

“The ministry seems captured in our time by people who are desperately afraid they might actually be

caught with a conviction at some point… that might curtail future ambition.”ai

A rare breed, these people who choose to speak the truth even at great personal expense:

• John the Baptist fearlessly admonished King Herod concerning his adulterous

relationship with his sister-in-law. Consequence: Beheaded. (Mark 6:17-28)

• Micaiah the prophet courageously warned King Ahab against his wishes to not

attack Ramoth Gilead. Ahab, knowing Micaiah’s commitment to telling the truth

said of him, “I hate him because he never prophesies anything good about me… ” Conse-

quence: Prison sentence (aborted however, in the 11th hour by Micaiah’s fulfilled

prophesy). (I Kings 22:8-27)

QUESTION: In business and the professions where duplicity, deceit and compromise are

standard fare, are you willing to be identified with that rare breed of believers who courageously live and

speak the truth without concession?

Whatever the personal cost?

The world around us desperately needs such people. And Christ expects nothing less from

us.