Our Responsibility With Truth
What do we do with truth?
Verse of the Day
‘These are the things you are to do: Speak the truth to each other, and render true and sound judgment in your courts’
Today’s Devotional
One of my daughters came home for a visit while she was in college. She attended school out of state. When your child lives out of state, you must listen closely for the indications of the kinds of choices she is making, the friends she gravitates toward, the ways she chooses to spend her time, the way she communicates, and where she is mentally and spiritually.
This was the first visit where we felt that our daughter is actually becoming an adult. She was very grateful during her visit, she was respectful of us and others, she was willing to have conversations about her life. She wanted to go out of her way to see all of her family members that live in this state. It was a delightful ten days of having her here.
When I know that my daughter is making wise choices, it is very natural (for me) to want to bless her in ways that are meaningful to her. If, during the course of our time together, we discovered that she was not making wise choices, I would not be so inclined to heap extra blessings on her.
That inclination, of wanting to thoroughly bless my child who is making wise choices, is the heart behind today’s verse and other verses like it. God is speaking to the people of Israel through the prophet Zechariah. He tells of all the wonderful ways that He desires to bless the people. He reminds them of why He punished their ancestors. And then, in this simple verse, God tells the people what their responsibility is. Speak truth to each other and be fair.
If we want to honor God with our words and actions, we would do well to start by practicing the habit of truthfulness. No white lies. In fact, no lies of any variety. When we are speaking to each other, we need to be truthful. In addition, we need to be fair in how we reach any judgments. I may not ever be in court, like today’s verse says, but am I fair in the court of my mind as I judge others?
It’s a pretty simple requirement that God issues to the people of Israel and to us today. Be honest with your words. Be fair in your judgments. Treat each other with truth, and God’s hand of blessing will be on you.
Journal Prompts
Answer only the questions that seem relevant to you today.
How do you feel about God’s “to do” list of being truthful with your words and fair in your judgments?
How has God blessed you in the past?
How can you practice being truthful today?
How has deceit caused problems in your life?