Speaking the Truth - Eph. 4:15
Illustration: It is good to speak the truth out loud, even if it may be a bit late.
My son Zachary, 4, came screaming out of the bathroom to tell me he’d dropped his toothbrush in the toilet. So I fished it out and threw it in the garbage. Zachary stood there thinking for a moment, then ran to my bathroom and came out with my toothbrush. He held it up and said with a charming little smile, "We better throw this one out too then, ’cause it fell in the toilet a few days ago."
Jacqueline Bay—British Columbia
The Bible is replete with directions about verbalizing truth, but it seems that many people are afraid of being accused of talking to themselves. God told Joshua, "This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night. For then you will make your ways prosperous and then you will have good success." (Josh 1:8)
There are numerous benefits that come from speaking the truth out loud that need to be considered and applied if we are to experience the fullness of God’s blessings, power and perspective:
1. Speaking the truth DEMONSTRATES OBEDIENCE. By audibly speaking the truth in our prayers we exercise personal obedience to the Lord and His word. Obedience always brings blessing but it precludes disobedience at the same time. By filling our mouth with what is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, excellent, admirable and praise-worthy, our mind, emotions and will tend to follow in line. Failure to speak the truth tends to allow our minds to drift in directions that are not always pleasing to the Lord.
Illustration: I’ve read that when Edward VI, the king of England in the 16th century, attended a worship service, he stood while the Word of God was read. He took notes during this time and later studied them with great care. Through the week he earnestly tried to apply them to his life. That’s the kind of serious-minded response to truth the apostle James calls for in today’s Scripture reading. A single revealed fact cherished in the heart and acted upon is more vital to our growth than a head filled with lofty ideas about God.
One step forward in obedience is worth years of study about it.
Chambers, Our Daily Bread, March 4, 1993.
2. Speaking the truth ENHANCES AND AFFIRMS ONE’S FAITH. We begin our new life in Christ when we confess with our mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in our heart that God has raised Him from the dead. (Rom 10:9,10) Salvation is as close as your own lips and heart. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God so it enhances the faith for ourselves and others. By preaching the word we can reinforce, reinvigorate and help refine the faith of ourself and others through the power of God’s word. Paul wrote, "How can they call on him to save them if they have never heard about him. And how can they hear about him unless someone tells him?" (Rom. 10:14,15) Most people need to hear the word of God spoken to them before they are able to gain saving faith and then move on to higher levels of spiritual maturity.
Illustration: Faith in God makes great optimists. Over in Burma, Judson was lying in a foul jail with 32 lbs. of chains on his ankles, his feet bound to a bamboo pole. A fellow prisoner said, "Dr. Judson, what about the prospect of the conversion of the heathen?", with a sneer on his face. His instant reply was, "The prospects are just as bright as the promises of God."
3. Speaking the truth EMPOWERS US THROUGH PRAISE. There is power in the praise of God. David wrote, "My mouth is filled with your praise, declaring your splendor all day long." (Psa 71:8) By praising God for His love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness and self-control, we will experience more of the empowering of the fruits of the Spirit in all aspects of our lives. If you want more energy, power and fruitfulness begin to praise God throughout the moments of your daily walk and talk.
4. Speaking the truth helps us OVERCOME OPPOSITION. David wrote, "My tongue will tell of your righteous acts all day long, for those who wanted to harm me have been put to shame and confusion." Too many Christians find themselves overcome by opponents because they fail to verbally utilize the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God. By speaking the truth in love we actively take the offensive by refusing to be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with the good of His word, His love and His gospel. By verbally renouncing, rejecting and resisting the devil, we can command the evil forces to flee from the environments where we seek to minister without hindrance.
5. Speaking the truth helps us PUT AWAY PERVERSITY. Solomon wrote, "Put away perversity from your mouth; keep corrupt talk far from your lips. Let your eyes look straight ahead, fix your gaze directly before you." (Prov. 4:24,25) If we want to fill our mind, emotions and will with what is true and right we need to speak the truth so as to leave no room for evil speaking.
Illustration: Dwight L. Moody was once asked how to suck the air out of glass. He quickly took a pitcher of water and filled up the glass with the cool liquid so that it was overflowing. He said, "Christians simply need to fill their minds with the truth and then the evil and negative thoughts will have to depart."
David wrote: "I will watch my ways and keep my tongue from sin; I will put a muzzle on my mouth as long as the wicked are in my presence." (Psa 39:1)
6. Speaking the truth is an OVERFLOW OF OUR HEART. When our heart is not right with God it is hard to speak the truth. The angel convicted Balaam by saying, "Speak only what I tell you... Then Balam said to Balak, "But can I say just anything? I must speak only what God puts in my mouth." (Numb 22:35,38) Allow the Lord to fill your heart with truth, love, and His message for each conversation. Then your speech will be an overflow from a heart that is in tune with God’s will, way and word. Jesus said, "For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him." (Matt 12:34,35)
7. Speaking the truth BRINGS GREAT REWARDS. Jesus said, "Make a tree good and its fruit willbe good or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad. For a tree is recognized by its fruit. You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good. The evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him. But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgement for every careless word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words, you will be condemned. (Matt 12:33-37) Let us lay up for ourselves treasures in heaven by issuing good speech instead of critical, negative or judgmental speech.
8. Speaking the truth INSPIRES, INSTRUCTS AND INFLUENCES FOR GOOD. Solomon wrote, "The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life, but violence overwhelms the mouth of the wicked. Wisdom is found on the lips of the discerning. Wise men store up knowledge but the mouth of fool invites ruin." (Prov. 10:11-13) Godly people inspire themselves and those around them with encouraging words of truth. Furthermore, they instruct people in what to think about, how to view things and how to react to problem situations. In contrast, foolish chatter brings a person to self-destruction. By speaking the truth in our private and public prayers we have great power to influence, instruct and inspire people for God’s glory and kingdom’s advancement.
9. Speaking the truth BRINGS GREATER INTIMACY WITH GOD. Malachi wrote, "For the lips of a priest ought to preserve knowledge and from his mouth men should seek instruction - because he is the messenger of the Lord." (Malachi 2:7) Those who speak are God’s representatives and find themselves closer to Him. By becoming instruments for the Lord we find ourselves closer to Him in our thinking, emotions and behavior. Failure to speak the truth in love is evidences that we are drifting away from God and setting ourselves up for humiliation and chastisement. Malachi follows up his statement by writing, "But you have turned from the way and by your teaching have caused many to stumble... So I have caused you to be despised and humiliated before all the people, because you have not followed my ways." (Mal 2:8,9) Not only does speaking the truth in love enhance our intimacy but it averts tragic drifting away from God.
10. Speaking the truth KEEPS US HONEST, CLEANSED AND ACCOUNTABLE. Paul wrote, "Speaking the truth in love, let us grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head even Christ." (Eph. 4:15) When we speak the truth we are convicted by the inconsistencies, inadequacies and shortcomings in our lives. Furthermore, speaking the truth keeps us accountable to those around us as they get a glimpse into what preoccupies our mind and heart.
We consistently need to confess our sins (known and unknown) for only then is He able to forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (I John 1:9) Failure to speak the truth can leave stagnant pools of impurity in our minds that need to be extricated for God to fully use us. Let us fully replace what is evil with what is good by speaking the truth to one another.
11. Speaking the truth FACILITATES GREATER WORSHIP FOR MANY. David wrote, "He put a new song in my mouth a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the Lord." (Psa 40:3) Speaking the truth through song lifts our spirit and gives us greater creativity to improve our situation. Futhermore, songs of praise, truth and love allow othes to see and gain a greater fear and trust in our God.
Illustration: John Hiebert, a famous missionary-church planter and teacher to Nigeria, became a Christian as a result of being drawn to a tent revival meeting in Oklahoma back in the 1930’s. He was so moved by the buoyant melody of the song that he entered the tent and got saved. The words of the song later came to mean a great deal to the thousands of Nigeria Pastors and teachers he influenced over a thirty hear career. The words are: "I’ve found a friend in Jesus. He’s everything to me. He’s the fairest of ten thousand to my soul. He’s the lilly of the valley, the bright and morning star. He’s the one who came and made me fully whole. In sorrow He’s my comfort, in trouble He’s my stay and I roll on Him my every care and woe."
12. Speaking the truth ENCOURAGES, ADMONISHES AND TEACHES OTHERS. Paul wrote, "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly with all wisdom as you teach and admonish and train one another in all insight and intelligence and wisdom (in spiritual things and as you sing and make melody to God with His grace in your hearts." (Col. 3:16) Let us not be isolationists, but speak the truth to one another for their benefit. Speaking the truth has greater benefits but we must be bold enough to teach, admonish and train others with our speech. Realize that many times you will not see the immediate impact of your speech but know that God’s word is true and the results will come.
Illustration: Life is a matter of building. Each of us has the opportunity to build something -- a secure family, a good reputation, a career, a relationship to God. But some of those things can disappear almost overnight due to financial losses, natural disasters and other unforeseen difficulties.
What are we to do? Daniel Webster offered excellent advice, saying, "If we work on marble it will perish. If we work on brass, time will efface it. If we rear temples, they will crumble to dust. But if we work on men’s immortal minds, if we imbue them with high principles, with just fear of God and love of their fellow-men, we engrave on those tablets something which time cannot efface, and which will brighten and brighten to all eternity.
Morning Glory, July 3, 1993.
