“If a ruler listens to falsehood, all his officials will be wicked.” Proverbs 29:12
Devotional Thought For The Day
How much really needs to be said about this general principle? The leader sets the culture for the rest of the group. His values, beliefs, behavior, and what he allows to influence and inform him will give cues to those under him as to how to succeed, get ahead, and gain favor with the boss. No distinction is made between those “rulers” who are merely naive in listening to falsehoods versus those who actively seek falsehoods to promote their power and their causes. The latter are obviously committed to great evil and wickedness and need lies to succeed in pressing their agenda. The former may be innocent in heart, but the proverb warns of the great evils that result from leaders who are too foolish to sort out truth from falsehood. These are unable to negate lies and protect those under them; this is like the cat being away and wickedness is likely to be in play.
When a ruler, boss, leader, teacher – anyone in a prestigious, influential, or powerful position, demonstrates an eagerness or even a willingness to entertain falsehood and act on it, this portends trouble, problems, and evils to come. All of this is rather inevitable – truth leads to health, safety, good, and blessings, whereas falsehood leads to weakness, sickness, vulnerability, evil, troubles, heartache, and disaster. Perhaps we should not be phobic about every falsehood that gains some weight or acceptance, but there is no question that falsehoods that are allowed a substantial and important place in our common and mutually accepted assumptions will not be helpful but ultimately harmful, and we cannot always predict in what ways the harm will come or how consequential it will be. So commitment to truth and honesty, and the ability to discern truth from falsehood is extremely important, a real exercise of genuine love.
Obviously God is on the side of truth and detests falsehood – lies injure and harm His dearly beloved people. Love rejoices with the truth, and God is love [1 Cor. 13:6; 1 Jn. 4:8]. That we may know the truth and grow in discerning falsehood God has given us His Word, the Holy Scripture, the Bible, which is truth and cannot be broken [Jn. 17:17; Jn. 10:35]. Jesus promises that we will come to know the truth by continuing in His Word – given to us by His prophets and apostles in Holy Scripture [Jn. 8:31,32; Jn. 16:13,14]. We know His great love for us – in sending His only-begotten Son, the eternal Son of God, to be our Savior, to take away the sin of the world in His suffering and death on the cross [Jn. 3:13-16], and in Jesus’ laying down His life for our salvation [Jn. 15:13]. We should take these things to heart, and allow them to sink in, and then devote ourselves to continuing in His Word, that we may know the truth, and that we may truly love by means of truthfulness. Likewise, it should be no surprise to us that the father of lies – a murderer and destroyer of humanity from the beginning [Jn. 8:44] – should be utterly opposed to Holy Scripture. Likewise, it should not be difficult for us to discern the originator, motivator, and main force behind all attacks on the truthfulness of Holy Scripture, God’s Word, and what the ultimate goal and intent is.
Thankfully, God also protects us from falsehood and seeks to minimize the damage it causes. However, if there is wicked and evil commitment to falsehood, and refusal to repent and benefit from His clemency and forgiveness, there comes a time when God allows natural consequences to take their course. The Old Testament record is filled with such tragic history. So if we are leaders let us take great care and caution as to the consequence of our relationship with truth and falsehood. Likewise, let us do all that we can to provide a loving and holy influence on our leaders in regard to their dealing with truth and falsehood. Let us pray for ourselves and our leaders, that God in His mercy and love might spread the reign of truth and destroy falsehood – and those who incorrigibly utilize it to destroy mankind. Much is at stake, and the higher the office the greater the consequences. Nowhere is this more important than within the life of the church, which is called “the pillar and foundation of the truth.” [1 Tim. 3:15]
Prayer For The Day
Dear Lord Jesus, we confess our own willingness to dabble with falsehood when we believe our personal welfare is at stake, or when our sinful passions and desires rule our hearts. Help us to see that falsehood is never healthy or helpful or in keeping with love, but always evil, so that we may grow in rejoicing with the truth. Preserve us and protect us from all falsehood and its wretched consequences. Grant this blessedness especially to our rulers and those who exercise great power and influence, that Your people may be preserved from wickedness. Strengthen our love and our commitment to truth, and grant us knowledge of the truth by keeping us in Your Word. Amen.