Be True | AdventAI

Pacific Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Oakland, California · Nov 13, 1879

Be True.

THERE are persons whom you can always believe, because you know they have a habit of telling the truth. They do not "color" a story or enlarge a bit of news in order to make it sound fine or remarkable.

There are others whom you hardly know whether to believe or not, because they are so accustomed to "stretching" things. A trifling incident grows in size, but not in quality, by passing through their mouth. They take a small fact or slender bit of news and pad it with added words, and paint it with high-colored adjectives, until it is largely unreal and gives a false impression. And one does not like to listen to folks when so much must be "allowed for shrinkage."

Cultivate the habit of telling the truth in little things as well as great ones. Pick your words wisely, and use only such as mean what you wish to say. Never "stretch" a story or a fact to make it seem bigger or funnier.

Do this, and people will learn to trust you and respect you. This will be better than having a name for telling wonderful stories or making foolishly and falsely "funny" remarks. There are enough true funny things happening in the world, and they are most entertaining when told just exactly as they came to pass. One has well said, "Never deceive for the sake of a foolish jest, or to excite the laughter of a few companions at the expense of a friend."

Dear young friend, be true. Do the truth. Tell the truth. There are many false tongues. Let yours speak the things that are pure, lovely, true.—S. S. Advocate.