Day 20, Year 1 Rejecting Falsehood and Seeking the Truth

“He who tills his land will have plenty of food, But he who follows empty pursuits will have poverty in plenty.” (Proverbs 28:19 NASB)

Truth stands in opposition to falsehood, while reality is opposite to illusion. Those who tell the truth and pursue righteousness, akin to people who till their fields, would reap abundant harvests. Conversely, pursuing emptiness is likely to yield empty results. Nonetheless, in today’s societies, frivolous things tend to become valuable and even sought after blindly. On top of that, there is a belief among some people that the Bible might contain certain false things. But can those “false things” in it really convey God’s truth? Is this the case?

In our pursuit of truth and speaking truthfully, there are two important definitions of truth: things that have confirmation from God’s words and have occurred in reality with evidence. What is confirmed by God’s words is considered truth, while what is not confirmed by God’s words could be considered false. For instance, the Book of Isaiah consists of 66 chapters, and some argue it could not have been written by the prophet Isaiah alone. This is because in the second or third part of the book, there are clear records of the destruction of Jerusalem, and even the styles and content of the book vary in different parts. However, in the New Testament, books like the Gospel of Matthew frequently quoted from Isaiah without indicating that the author of Isaiah was more than one person. Hence, the authors of the New Testament confirmed that the Book of Isaiah is indeed the work of Isaiah, making it true as confirmed by God’s words. In the same way, we should first discern what the truth in the Bible is, as confirmed as true by God. Besides, based on another point of view, truth is defined as what has happened and is supported by evidence.

When we decide to speak the truth, not only do we need to change ourselves to become more honest and responsible, but also confront the root of our inner tendencies to deceive and pursue frivolities, if any. We have to reflect upon the consequences of bearing false witness or pursuing vainglory—have these actions made us poor or deceitful? Were we trapped in a cycle of covering lies with more lies, where we had to fabricate falsehoods constantly? Did we fall into the bondage of the wicked? Contrarily, we need to align our thoughts, words, and actions with God’s truth, and seek His confirmation. In times of uncertainty, we need to seek and discern the judgments that God has granted to believers.

Reflection questions: 

1) Have you ever pursued frivolities or empty pursuits? If so, what was the outcome?

2) How much effort and sacrifice are you willing to pay in pursuing, defending, and living in the truth?