Saturday 1 July 2023

In Truth

July 2023

Dear Friends

Don’t you hate it when you are lied to?  From the deep betrayal of a close friend, to infuriating bare-faced scams, to yet another lie from political leaders, we loathe it all.  How can they say that, knowing it is not true?!

For our own part, we say we’re truthful people, of course.  We’re only economical with the truth when it’s ‘justified’, even though we wouldn’t want anyone else to justify their decision to deny us the truth.  This truth-lite mindset destroys the trust of others like little else.  And it destroys us too.  Once we start to drift away from the rock of truth, powerful currents drag us further out to sea and away from all grip on reality.

How refreshing then when we meet people who tell it like it is, who neither flatter to our face nor slander behind our back, who don’t cover up their mistakes or spin everything to suit their agenda.

Truthful speech was one of the things that people noticed about Jesus.  Even his enemies acknowledged that he spoke the truth and wasn’t swayed by men (Matthew 22:16).  There are nearly 80 references in the Gospels to Jesus saying, ‘I tell you the truth …’.

He told people the truth about themselves even when it was unwelcome (Matthew 23:27).  He spoke the truth about himself and his Father even when that risked a violent reaction (John 10:31).

Others said that he not only spoke truth, he was full of truth - there was simply no deceit in him at all (John 1:14, 1 Peter 2:22).  Can you imagine how it felt to encounter someone so refreshingly straightforward, and yet unnervingly honest?  To meet this man is to have your inner self laid bare and yet to be led from crushing slavery to glorious freedom.  Jesus said that those who hold to his teaching “will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:32)

Why not drag out a garden chair this summer and read one of the short biographies (aka Gospels) that are eyewitness accounts of this man of truth?  If you’d like a free Gospel then send me a text or email and I’ll be delighted to deliver one to you.

Sincerely

Graham Burrows