Truth Telling

"Yet I never shrank from telling you the truth, either publicly or in your homes. I have had one message for Jews and Gentiles alike -- the necessity of turning from sin and turning to God, and of faith in our Lord Jesus." - Acts 20:20-21

I have some wonderful truth tellers in my life. My wife is one. My kids. The leaders at church. Close friends. Truth tellers are those who care more about us than whether or not we like them at any given moment. They says things like, "You're just being selfish. ... That was rude. ... Self-pity doesn't look good on you. ... That's not right. ..." Sometimes I receive these kinds of conversations well. Sometimes ... not so much. I, like all of you, am a work in progress or at least I hope I am.

Paul was a truth teller. He was consistent. He didn't present a public face and then a different private face. Truth didn't change with the person's heritage. He was passionate about three things: not sinning, seeking God, and putting one's trust in Jesus. If anyone around him hesitated on these things, he would passionately speak truth.

Truth telling is a lost art these days. Wrong motives, pride, fear, personal insecurity, and a whole host of other factors have muddied up the water so badly that people today, like Pilate, stand facing Jesus and say, "What is truth?" There really is such a thing as sin. One actually can orient one's live toward the Divine. Jesus truly is the Good Shepherd. We humans need truth tellers in our lives. Likewise, the other humans around us need us to be truth tellers too. Today is a great day to look deeply into the eyes of Jesus for when we do, we see Truth incarnate.

Grace and Peace,

Tom
Location: Fall Creek Christian Church, 1102 West 700 South, Pendleton, IN 46064, USA

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