Truth is Worth Rejoicing
What is your natural reaction to truth?
Verse of the Day
‘Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.’
Today’s Devotional
As I read this verse, there is a story that I have read a few times in a few different places that comes to mind. Let’s take a look at it today:
“Think a minute…There was a young, intelligent university student named Bill. Bill was what some people call a “free spirit” or “hippie.” He had wild long hair, always wore the same old and torn T-shirt, jeans and no shoes.
Across the street from the university campus was a conservative church. The people there were rich, older and well-dressed. They wanted to help the university students nearby, but they did not know exactly how to do it.
Well, one day Bill decided to go visit this church by his university. As usual, he went wearing his only jeans, old, torn T-shirt and his dirty long hair. The church service had already started and was full, so Bill walked down the center aisle looking for a seat.
People were getting more and more uncomfortable as they watched this unclean, wild-looking young man.
Finally, Bill got to the front and saw there were no more empty seats, so he just sat down on the floor right in front of the preacher. No one had ever done that in this church before! By now, everyone was upset and distracted.
Then, a respected old church deacon got up and started toward the front. Everyone was thinking: “You can’t blame the deacon, he really should correct this disrespectful young man.” Everyone was watching.
Even the preacher stopped his sermon when the old man finally got to the front. Then, they were all completely surprised to see the old deacon drop his walking stick and very slowly sit down on the floor next to this young hippie. He did not want this young man to sit alone and feel unaccepted.
The people in the church were moved to tears. Finally, the preacher said: “What I am preaching about today you will probably never remember. But what you have just seen you will never forget!””
Every time I read this story, or one like it, I am moved. There was a scene very similar to this one in the movie Jesus Revolution, which is based on a true story. There is truth that is worth rejoicing in witnessing someone model what love looks like. We don’t always know what love looks like in real life. We understand it in theory, but the details of truth and love escape us in the moment sometimes. So when we see love being displayed, we should stop and REJOICE!
Today’s verse comes from the famous “Love” chapter, and it tells us that truth is worth rejoicing over. We should be joyful and grateful that we have access to the Bible and the truth that it holds. We should rejoice when God opens our eyes to the truth of our need for Him. We should rejoice when we see victory, healing, and hope in the lives of others. Because truth is worth rejoicing over. Even when that truth is sometimes uncomfortable for us to accept, especially when it is the truth about our own pride, or fear, or insecurity. Truth, when accepted and acted upon, leads us to freedom. The truth of someone acting in Godly love, like the old man in the story, should be cause for celebration.
Journal Prompts
Answer only the questions that seem relevant to you today.
When was the last time you truly rejoiced? What were you rejoicing over?
What truth has been revealed in your life that was cause for joy?
How can you rejoice over the truth offered to you in the Bible?
What truth has been hard for you to accept? How can you shift to a joyful posture?