p. 187 | Truthfulness

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Nov 26, 1872

Truthfulness.

“FINALLY, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report, if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”

“Whatsoever things are TRUE.” That word is properly “truthful,” not opposed so much to error as falsehood. We are apt to think that it refers to true doctrine, to things which we must receive as articles of faith that are proved to be true, and it is most important that we should cleave to the truth in this sense; still the meaning here rather points to truthfulness in your dealings one with another. Be perfectly and absolutely truthful in your daily life. Make absolute truthfulness a matter of hourly study.

Are you inclined to think such a charge unnecessary for a child of God? It is painful to feel that it can be otherwise, but the sad fact is that our nature is so altogether falsified, that deceit has crept in so universally since sin came in, that we hardly know, until we put our tendencies and our actions beside the Bible, how untrue we are. The whole world is a lie—the whole world is a sham, pretending everywhere to be what it is not; and it is a most difficult thing for the children of God so to live by the word of God as to be entirely different from a false world; to shake ourselves out of habits and customs that have become universal. But, however our testimony may be misinterpreted, we must firmly take our stand in this matter, and dare, if we are ever so singular, to be TRUE. All exaggerated forms of expression, often unintentionally adopted from mingling with people who use them—the objectionable slang of the day, which has become the current mode of speech, and which, if we are not on our guard, it is easy to fall into—we must keep ourselves from these, if we would be absolutely truthful. I am certain that if, as the apostle says, we think on these things—i. e., keep our minds occupied about them, make them a matter of study—we shall have to drop much from our conversation that has become habitual to us.

Never was there a time when the whole tone of the day was more opposed to what is true; and there is a “sensational” mode of speech prevalent which is not only contrary to God’s word, but to good taste. We need to be reminded of our Lord’s charge, “Let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay nay; for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.” Does not this imply great simplicity in the use of words? No interlarding our conversation with exclamations and exaggerations—calling things, for example, “awful,” when only a little contrary to our wishes. No repeating and asseverating what we say in expressions learned from the world. But if thus guarded and particular, it will be said of us, “They are so flat, so insipid, so stupid!” Very likely; but surely, if God’s children are going out into the world as his representatives they have something higher to think of than their own reputation. It is the glory of their Master they desire to live for. And yet I believe that while consistency in this matter may affect our popularity, it has more to do with our real reputation than we are sometimes disposed to think. The world has a high standard by which it measures Christians, and is quick to discern the least divergence from it. The world, let us never forget, expects us to be true, however it may dislike our truthfulness; and we cannot be too careful about it.

Again, I would say, let us avoid talking of what we do not understand, whether it concerns things or people; this involves inaccuracy. How many things are said untruthfully, when people meddle with matters of which they know nothing! And let us watch against misrepresentation—giving an impression, it may be, which, though our words are guarded, so as to be free from direct falsehood, is yet making a person or circumstance to appear in a character or a coloring that is not actually correct. Again, if we would be strictly true, we must avoid censoriousness and gossiping. The love of talking about others leads to untruthfulness.

Newsmongers, who aim at being considered to know more than others, easily slip into it, and we, who desire to set an example to those we wish to teach, must ponder our words, and keep over them a careful, watchful guard. “Whatsoever things are true . . . think on these things.”—From Christian Character, in Woman’s Work.