“When Herod heard John [the Baptist] he was greatly puzzled, yet he liked to listen to him.” (Mark 6:20)  After Herod had John imprisoned, he would visit him, apparently fascinated by the things that John had to say.  Why did Herod like to listen to John?  Because John spoke the truth, and truth is attractive. 

Jesus told Pilate that the reason he came into the world was to testify to the truth.  Pilate asked, “What is truth, though the embodiment of all truth was standing right in front of him?  (John 18:37-38)

There is a purity in the truth that makes it attractive.  We have several common expressions about truth:  “Honesty is the best policy;” “As God is my witness;” “As a matter of fact;” “The truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.” 

Jesus said, “If you hold to my teachings, you will know the truth and the truth will set you free.”  (John 8:32) There is freedom that comes with the truth – freedom from guilt, fear, and sin.  All four gospels report how people were amazed at the wisdom of Jesus’ teachings and how he taught with authority.  Truth carries a certain authority with it.

From earliest childhood, our sinful human nature tends to obscure the truth to protect our selfish instincts.  One sibling blames another for starting a fight that the first sibling initiated.  We begin to lie to cover up misbehavior and sinful conduct.  Without strong parental guidance and moral teaching, truth is increasingly pushed aside.

As a lawyer, I was regularly called on to interpret whether certain proposed actions of corporate clients were consistent with applicable law.  Sometimes, a proposed action was in direct conflict with what a particular law or regulation required.  I would have to overcome the tendency to tell the affected manager what he wanted to hear, and instead hold to the truth that his proposed action would run afoul of the law.  In those cases, I would always try to suggest alternative actions that would satisfy both the client objective and the law.  

Truth is attractive; sets us free, and helps us live out our lives with confidence. 

As we celebrate the 247^th anniversary of our nation’s birth this day, even our founders recognized the significance of truth in our founding documents: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness –“

Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth and the life.”  (John 14:6)

How do you deal with the challenges to truth in your life?