Adam McLane

The Necessity of Speaking the Unpopular Truth

Speaking the truth is never a sin but living a lie ensures death

I wrote this phrase down in my notebook a few months ago and have been looking back at it for a while. I can’t escape it. It both empowers me and annoys me. Sure, there’s power in speaking the truth. But Death has a way of clenching its fist on people’s lives, unwilling to let them live.

When you think about it this phrase is at the core of many good stories, including our own. Great novels and movies carry the tension of that phrase. Lies have a way of working their way out into the light of day, don’t they?

Truth is Unpopular

We each have the opportunity to be the truth teller from time-to-time. It’s a sacred role.

While we all know that it’s dangerous to be the one to tell the emperor he’s walking around naked, it’s still better for him to know he’s been deceived than it is for him to die of exposure. 

Tell the truth, friends. Because the alternative is Death.

 

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Adam McLane

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2 responses to “The Necessity of Speaking the Unpopular Truth”

  1. KJ Avatar
    KJ

    Good stuff! I’ve learned that most people fall into one of two categories:

    * Either they LOVE their role of “truth teller” and look for every opportunity to point out flaws, injustices (real or their perceptions of), and sin. They hide their arrogance, insecurity and legalism behind the shield of “Hey, I’m just telling the truth”.

    * Or they are afraid to speak the truth out of fear. They avoid conflict, want to be liked by everybody, etc.

    I won’t tell you which category I fall under!

    Very few people have a healthy balance of knowing when to speak up and when to shut up.

    And I do think it’s possible that telling the truth is sin….at least in THE WAY it is told: Arrogance, legalism, playing the role of judge, self righteousness etc. often are the motives behind our truth-telling….sinful stuff, that is.

    Reply
    1. Adam McLane Avatar
      Adam McLane

      So true, Kurt. Certainly I’ve sinned in telling the truth and by not telling the truth.

      Reply

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