When Truth Stumbles in the Public Square

It’s time to stand up for truth…

Most of us were probably taught as children to tell the truth, but we quickly learned the truth could be dangerous. Did you hit your brother? All of a sudden, the truth doesn’t sound like the best option. We try to frame the truth to make us look better. He started it. Or we flat out lie. Ummm…no?

Without truth, there is no justice. Without truth, there is no sure ground upon which to stand. Without truth, there is no freedom.

Isaiah, chapter 59, describes what happens to a nation when truth is no longer valued. When truth doesn’t matter, lives are filled with hatred, destruction, and desolation. There is no peace. Evil acts against God are rampant. Peoples’ words stir up rebellion and revolt.

“Justice is driven away and righteousness stands on the sidelines, for truth has stumbled in the public square and morality cannot enter” (Isaiah 59:14).

When truth no longer matters, justice, righteousness, and morality disappear.

It’s time for God’s people to stand up for the truth.

Our culture no longer values truth. We hear statements such as, “truth is relative.” (That’s a lie.) Or, “that’s my truth.” (Lie.) Or, “truth depends on your perspective.” (Again, lie!) There is no such thing as relative truth. There is no such thing as your truth or my truth. Truth is found in God’s word. Truth is found in the person of Jesus.

As our society moves farther away from the unchanging truth, the world becomes more and more unjust, rebellious, and chaotic. In the midst of the turmoil, God’s people must stand up for the truth. Our world desperately needs an anchor, and godly truth is the only anchor that will hold in these stormy waters.

When truth stumbles in the public square, we do not cower in fear. We do not question what we know to be true. On the contrary, we stand strong in the truth of God’s word and the person of Jesus. We live out the truth in our every-day lives and speak it into the messiness of our lives and our world.

Everyone wants something true, something to believe in, something that is sure. Though they may not know it, that something they’re looking for is only found in Jesus. Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. He’s the answer to every question, the solution to every problem, and the wise navigator for every life.

Dear God, in the whirlwind of today’s society, plant my feet firmly in your word. Help me know the truth, live the truth, and stand up for the truth. Keep my eyes on Jesus. Fill me with love for others and the courage to share the truth. In Jesus’s name, amen.