Truth Can Be Fatal

Man, by nature, always desires to do what is good, to create and admire what is beautiful, and to proclaim and tell the truth. Often, it is the last one that many people have trouble with. Even the most depraved of men will try to do good given the the chance and opportunity. Even the poorest and most deprived will always see beauty in the meagerness and simplicity of their surroundings. But even the most upright would often be caught telling white lies.

Truth seems to be a rare commodity these days. it is often “twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools.” There are so many scams that would steal the lifetime savings of people with lies peddled as truth. There are leaders who would lie through their teeth just to keep themselves in power. There are business people who would dress up lies so attractively just to make a fast buck. And everyday, we seem to be fed with nothing but lies and half-truths by media.

In my life, what truth am I proclaiming? Do I do it with courage and consistency? Has the truth I have been proclaiming cause me any trouble? Or is my truth so bland and so innocuous that it is perfectly safe and harmless? If that is the case, maybe I have diluted my truth or reduced it to a half-truth?

The truth cost the Baptist his head. The Christ was crucified because of the truth He proclaimed, which is the love of God and the love of the neighbor. Gandhi and Mandela were imprisoned because they spoke the truth. Abraham, Martin, John and Ninoy were assassinated because of the truth they proclaimed. Telling the truth can indeed be risky business. But for a follower of Christ, there is no other way/

O God, let all the nations praise you!
~ Psalm 67

Now Herod had arrested John, bound him, and put him in prison
on account of Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip,
for John had said to him,
“It is not lawful for you to have her.”
Although he wanted to kill him, he feared the people,
for they regarded him as a prophet.
But at a birthday celebration for Herod,
the daughter of Herodias performed a dance before the guests
and delighted Herod so much
that he swore to give her whatever she might ask for.
Prompted by her mother, she said,
“Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist.”
The king was distressed,
but because of his oaths and the guests who were present,
he ordered that it be given, and he had John beheaded in the prison.
His head was brought in on a platter and given to the girl,
who took it to her mother.
His disciples came and took away the corpse
and buried him; and they went and told Jesus.
Matthew 14:1-12