40 Days of Truth - 07
Dr Jim Brown's TruNorth Devotional
40 Days of TRUTH
Day 7 | WHAT YOU’RE KNOWN AS
40 Days of TRUTH
Day 7 | WHAT YOU’RE KNOWN AS
WHAT YOU’RE KNOWN AS
Ephesians 4:25
“So discard every form of dishonesty and lying so that you will be known as one who always speaks the TRUTH, for we all belong to one another.” (TPT)
It’s amazing how fast it can go.
You see, everyone develops a reputation, among friends, work associates, neighbors, family, and acquaintances. It’s developed by the things we say and do. But a good reputation which has taken months or many years to develop can be lost quickly by the words we speak.
“Therefore, rejecting all falsehood [whether lying, defrauding, telling half-truths, spreading rumors, any such as these], speak truth each one with his neighbor, for we are all parts of one another [and we are all parts of the body of Christ].” (AMP)
Since this is Paul’s letter to the church at Ephesus, the fact that he had to discuss this with them tells me that they were probably having this problem and word of it had gotten to him while sitting imprisoned in Rome. (That should tell you how fast and how far our being untruthful can travel.)
So why do we not just always tell the truth?
The reasons and/or excuses are many: we don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings, or make ourselves look bad, or perhaps we want to be seen as better than we are… and so on.
A pastor friend of mine from decades ago gave me this sage advice when I was in my 20s, “Always tell the truth, just don’t always be telling it.”
Proverbs 13:3 seems to confirm this: “He who guards his mouth preserves his life, but he who opens wide his lips shall have destruction.”
And in Ecclesiastes 5:2: “Be not rash with thy mouth … let thy words be few.”
I don’t believe anyone reading this wants a bad reputation or to be known as someone who can’t be TRUSTED.
A more detailed study of why people tell “falsehoods: whether lying, defrauding, telling half-truths or spreading rumors,” shows us that that is what is in their hearts.
Scripture tells us: “Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.” (Matthew 12:34). So, pay attention to what you watch, listen to, and read. If you want to be known as a truthful person, it starts with what you put INTO your “heart” – your spirit, your mind, your emotions. GIGO (Garbage In, Garbage Out).
Prayer: Lord, I am your child and I represent you, though, at times, I’m not very good at it. Help me, Lord, to be known as a person that others can TRUST. Help me to focus on the good, the lovely, the pure… and to put away lying, spreading rumors, telling half-truths, and all the rest. Help me to be more like Jesus. Amen.
Ephesians 4:25
“So discard every form of dishonesty and lying so that you will be known as one who always speaks the TRUTH, for we all belong to one another.” (TPT)
It’s amazing how fast it can go.
You see, everyone develops a reputation, among friends, work associates, neighbors, family, and acquaintances. It’s developed by the things we say and do. But a good reputation which has taken months or many years to develop can be lost quickly by the words we speak.
“Therefore, rejecting all falsehood [whether lying, defrauding, telling half-truths, spreading rumors, any such as these], speak truth each one with his neighbor, for we are all parts of one another [and we are all parts of the body of Christ].” (AMP)
Since this is Paul’s letter to the church at Ephesus, the fact that he had to discuss this with them tells me that they were probably having this problem and word of it had gotten to him while sitting imprisoned in Rome. (That should tell you how fast and how far our being untruthful can travel.)
So why do we not just always tell the truth?
The reasons and/or excuses are many: we don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings, or make ourselves look bad, or perhaps we want to be seen as better than we are… and so on.
A pastor friend of mine from decades ago gave me this sage advice when I was in my 20s, “Always tell the truth, just don’t always be telling it.”
Proverbs 13:3 seems to confirm this: “He who guards his mouth preserves his life, but he who opens wide his lips shall have destruction.”
And in Ecclesiastes 5:2: “Be not rash with thy mouth … let thy words be few.”
I don’t believe anyone reading this wants a bad reputation or to be known as someone who can’t be TRUSTED.
A more detailed study of why people tell “falsehoods: whether lying, defrauding, telling half-truths or spreading rumors,” shows us that that is what is in their hearts.
Scripture tells us: “Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.” (Matthew 12:34). So, pay attention to what you watch, listen to, and read. If you want to be known as a truthful person, it starts with what you put INTO your “heart” – your spirit, your mind, your emotions. GIGO (Garbage In, Garbage Out).
Prayer: Lord, I am your child and I represent you, though, at times, I’m not very good at it. Help me, Lord, to be known as a person that others can TRUST. Help me to focus on the good, the lovely, the pure… and to put away lying, spreading rumors, telling half-truths, and all the rest. Help me to be more like Jesus. Amen.
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