As a Christian writer, my goal is to always write the truth. Whether I am writing Fiction or nonfiction I want the words that I use to be true of the world I live in.
Proverbs 12:17-19 “He that speaketh truth sheweth forth righteousness: but a false witness deceit. There is that speaketh like the piercings of a sword: but the tongue of the wise is health. The lip of truth shall be established for ever: but a lying tongue is but for a moment.”
I want the words that I speak or write to be remembered as true. Verse 19 of the above passage says that “the lip of truth shall be established forever.” Imagine what an impact our words must have that true words are established forever but lying words last briefly.
Proverbs 12:22 “Lying lips are abomination to the LORD: but they that deal truly are his delight.”
God doesn’t like a tongue that is always lying. A lying tongue is not a good testimony of what Christ has done for us. Lies only lead us into trouble and are hurtful to those we tell them to. You can never believe a liar. When we lie or don’t tell the whole truth we destroy the trust people had in us. A lying tongue is but for a moment. Lies, don’t get us anywhere in life. They might work for the moment but they will soon be found out and then everything we worked for is gone all because we chose to lie instead of tell the truth. For example, telling your mom that you saw your little sister steal the cookies out of the jar when it was really you might get you out of trouble for the moment, but what happens when your little sister has a solid alibi for the exact moment that the cookies went missing? You will get in trouble for not only stealing the cookies but for lying about it and blaming your sister. When you are truthful no one will be able to prove otherwise even if they try. Titus 2:7-8 “In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity, Sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you.” No matter what a person may say of you, your words should make them look foolish in the eyes of those who know the truth.
Proverbs 14:5, 25 “A faithful witness will not lie: but a false witness will utter lies. A true witness delivereth souls: but a deceitful witness speaketh lies.”
James 4:11-12 “Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge. There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another?”
Proverbs 11:9 “An hypocrite with his mouth destroyeth his neighbour: but through knowledge shall the just be delivered.”
Don’t speak badly about other people. It doesn’t matter whether they did something wrong or not, we don’t want to be known as talebearers and false witnesses. Proverbs 25:18 “A man that beareth false witness against his neighbour is a maul, and a sword, and a sharp arrow.” Exodus 20:16 “Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.”You shouldn’t even think badly about a person, especially if you don’t know all the facts about them. It is not our place to judge the sinner, for we are all sinners and have made mistakes at one time or another. Sometimes another person’s mistake is really your own. You shouldn’t look at another person’s faults when you yourself have faults. We are all guilty of doing this. We often don’t want to admit when we are wrong. Jesus warns against this in the Sermon on the Mount. Matthew 7:1-5 “Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.”
Proverbs 18:13 “He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto him.” Before you go around spreading gossip and rumors, learn the facts. Never assume something you hear from someone else is true. It only takes one person to ruin another’s reputation, so make sure what you have heard is true and don’t go spreading it around. Truth or not it isn’t your business. Proverbs 20:19 warns us to stay away from meddlers, people who get into people’s business then spread it around. “He that goeth about as a talebearer revealeth secrets: therefore meddle not with him that flattereth with his lips.” Don’t go around sharing things with people that don’t concern you and stay away from those who do. Jeremiah 9:4-8 “Take ye heed every one of his neighbour, and trust ye not in any brother: for every brother will utterly supplant, and every neighbour will walk with slanders. And they will deceive every one his neighbour, and will not speak the truth: they have taught their tongue to speak lies, and weary themselves to commit iniquity. Thine habitation is in the midst of deceit; through deceit they refuse to know me, saith the LORD. Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts, Behold, I will melt them, and try them; for how shall I do for the daughter of my people? Their tongue is as an arrow shot out; it speaketh deceit: one speaketh peaceably to his neighbour with his mouth, but in heart he layeth his wait.”
If you have a good friend who you have always known and you hear bad things about them, don’t assume they are true. Go to the friend and find out, especially if it is something uncharacteristic of them. Don’t take the word of a stranger over the word of a good friend. Proverbs 18:8 “The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.” Proverbs 18:19 “A brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city: and their contentions are like the bars of a castle.”
Words can be deadly if we aren’t careful. Proverbs 18:21 “Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.” Don’t use words that are hurtful and don’t assume another person is telling the truth, learn the facts.
I know there is a little overlap of part one, but I am discovering that words can be hurtful and kind. It is a matter of how we use them and if used wrong they can destroy relationships and reputations forever. As a warning though, truthful words often hurt. I’ve been on both ends, where I’ve had to listen to someone say something I didn’t want to hear and I’ve had to tell someone things they didn’t want to hear. It can end relationships or it can strengthen them. It may be that the person we were honest with doesn’t like what we have to say and may be mad at us for a while only to make up with you later. Sometimes we have to hear things we don’t like in order to better ourselves. The truth hurts but don’t let it keep you from speaking it, because in the end it is truth that will prevail.
Ephesians 4:15 “But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:”
Pursue Truth 