The Difficult and Dangerous Task of Truth Telling

Over breakfast this morning my friend and I got into a long discussion of truth. Does anyone tell the truth? we wondered. This all started because I was reflecting upon the Gospel lesson read in many Christian churches last Sunday (Luke 4:31-37). Jesus had been rejected by the folks from his home town, Nazareth. From there he made his way to the coast of the inland Sea of Galilee and the town of Capernaum where he taught in their synagogue on the Sabbath. In this synagogue, Luke reports, was a man who had "the spirit of an unclean demon."

From what I read, all demons are liars, since they serve the devil, who by nature is a liar and the father of lies (John 8:44). Did the members of that synagogue's congregation assume this person had the spirit of an unclean demon because he was an inveterate liar? How many people today have such a spirit? And if they are among a body of worshippers, why are they permitted to remain and to spread their demonic influence?

I had a host of similar questions banging around in my head. We decided that all we could do was to make some guesses about this liar and his demon. Yet the discussion did lead us to reflect upon how vital it is for any community to strive for the truth, even though telling the whole truth is difficult and can be dangerous. Some examples found by Googling:

• Attorney James S.D. Johnson reflects upon the danger of accommodating Darwinism through false testimony. Christians make far too many compromises, he writes. 

• An organization pleads for the truth in labeling. The author worries about the dangers of MSG: a neurotoxic flavor enhancer. 

• A man is even afraid to reveal his name as he berates the I.R.S. for its lies about his wife's tax problems. The search for the truth, he writes, is a dangerous thing. 

The list goes on. Others worry about half truths being equally as dangerous as outright lies, if not more so.

Later on in his ministry the Lord Jesus did not only meet people who had the spirit of a lying demon. He met people who accused him of having a demon (John 8:48-50). His response to all their slander was straightforward. "Because I tell the truth, you do not believe me. Which one of you convicts me of sin? If I tell the truth, why do you not believe me? Whoever is of God hears the words of God. The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God" (John 8:45-47).

Truth will ever remain an elusive thing in this world. The challenge we all face is to own up to our own accommodating to its lies and the liars. We need to turn away from our own lies and find forgiveness and daily renewal in Him who is the way to the Father. He is the very embodiment of the Truth and when his Spirit dwells within us lies and the demons that encourage them must flee.