40 Days of Truth - 23
Dr Jim Brown's TruNorth Devotional
40 Days of TRUTH
Day 23 | FEELINGS AND TRUTH
40 Days of TRUTH
Day 23 | FEELINGS AND TRUTH
FEELINGS AND TRUTH
Proverbs 12:13-15
“The wicked will get trapped by their words of gossip, slander, and lies. But for the righteous, honesty is its own defense. For there is great satisfaction in speaking the truth, and hard work brings blessings back to you. A fool is in love with his own opinion, but wisdom means being teachable.”
Isn’t that last verse “… a fool is in love with his own opinion…” true?
Another saying which has been around for a long time: “Don’t confuse me with the facts, my mind is made up.”
People today – here and around the world – are in deep trouble due to a lack of TRUTH. Many have started to equate “how I feel” with “what is true.”
In fact, MORE than equate… many would assert that one’s feelings about a statement, or belief, or course of action, or about anything you’d name… influences them MORE than the “truth” about that. That is sad and dangerous because such people end up building their lives, families, careers, governments, financial futures and more based on how they FEEL... which may or may not be TRUE. This is seen clearly in the gender debate: “What do you FEEL you are today?” Subordinating biological truths to feelings.
Solomon here in Proverbs declares that HONESTY is its OWN defense and that there is “great satisfaction in speaking the truth.”
I would also add one additional word from the New Testament which should help inform our actions: Ephesians 4:15 which says: “… but speaking the truth in LOVE.”
Proverbs 12:14 in AMP says: “From the fruit of his words a man shall be satisfied with good, and the work of a man’s hands shall come back to him [as a harvest].”
Have you ever considered your words as “fruit”? What do we know about FRUIT? “Sweet, good, healthy to eat, and natural” are some of the attributes that cross my mind.
We are living in a time when we are bombarded, daily, by lies, half-truths and innuendos (suggesting a falsehood as truth). It’s getting so that TRUTH is increasingly RARE to find in the marketplace, on network news, in conversations, or even in the classroom.
So, how do we then live? Should we strive to live righteously or should we join in with “The wicked [who] will get trapped by their words of gossip, slander, and lies.” As with many things in life, we can choose.
One of my axioms which I’ve been saying for years is: “Any dead fish can float downstream.” Thus, I suggest one act alive! Swim against the tide and – as in this case – be truthful, and follow the Godly wisdom that Solomon is teaching us here.
Prayer: Lord, help me to be aware of the words that I speak – at home, at church, at work and in my community. Help me to speak the TRUTH always … but also always in LOVE. Help me to speak the truth and thus to declare your righteousness for You are the Way the Truth and the Life. Amen.
Proverbs 12:13-15
“The wicked will get trapped by their words of gossip, slander, and lies. But for the righteous, honesty is its own defense. For there is great satisfaction in speaking the truth, and hard work brings blessings back to you. A fool is in love with his own opinion, but wisdom means being teachable.”
Isn’t that last verse “… a fool is in love with his own opinion…” true?
Another saying which has been around for a long time: “Don’t confuse me with the facts, my mind is made up.”
People today – here and around the world – are in deep trouble due to a lack of TRUTH. Many have started to equate “how I feel” with “what is true.”
In fact, MORE than equate… many would assert that one’s feelings about a statement, or belief, or course of action, or about anything you’d name… influences them MORE than the “truth” about that. That is sad and dangerous because such people end up building their lives, families, careers, governments, financial futures and more based on how they FEEL... which may or may not be TRUE. This is seen clearly in the gender debate: “What do you FEEL you are today?” Subordinating biological truths to feelings.
Solomon here in Proverbs declares that HONESTY is its OWN defense and that there is “great satisfaction in speaking the truth.”
I would also add one additional word from the New Testament which should help inform our actions: Ephesians 4:15 which says: “… but speaking the truth in LOVE.”
Proverbs 12:14 in AMP says: “From the fruit of his words a man shall be satisfied with good, and the work of a man’s hands shall come back to him [as a harvest].”
Have you ever considered your words as “fruit”? What do we know about FRUIT? “Sweet, good, healthy to eat, and natural” are some of the attributes that cross my mind.
We are living in a time when we are bombarded, daily, by lies, half-truths and innuendos (suggesting a falsehood as truth). It’s getting so that TRUTH is increasingly RARE to find in the marketplace, on network news, in conversations, or even in the classroom.
So, how do we then live? Should we strive to live righteously or should we join in with “The wicked [who] will get trapped by their words of gossip, slander, and lies.” As with many things in life, we can choose.
One of my axioms which I’ve been saying for years is: “Any dead fish can float downstream.” Thus, I suggest one act alive! Swim against the tide and – as in this case – be truthful, and follow the Godly wisdom that Solomon is teaching us here.
Prayer: Lord, help me to be aware of the words that I speak – at home, at church, at work and in my community. Help me to speak the TRUTH always … but also always in LOVE. Help me to speak the truth and thus to declare your righteousness for You are the Way the Truth and the Life. Amen.
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