Article August 21, 1971 Issue

Speak the Truth!

WELLMAN E. GERKE

Consider for a moment a world without guile, each individual always communicating honestly and truthfully! What a vast sifter out and destroyer of evil and discord this would be! We read in Zechariah, "Speak ye every man the truth to his neighbour; execute the judgment of truth and peace in your gates," Zech. 8:16; and in Exodus, "Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour." Ex. 20:16;

Far too many individuals who profess to speak the truth often do not do so. In small and large ways they compromise with the facts. Perhaps one desires a day off from work. Instead of being candid, he advises his employer that he is sick when he is well. Another person does not wish to see a caller and says, "Tell him I'm out to lunch," or, "Tell him I won't be in till tomorrow," and so on. Especially in little things people tend to condone untruthfulness, thus disregarding the moral law that demands integrity.

Little foxes do spoil the vines. Little untruths do denigrate characters, gradually assassinate morality, and culminate in a seemingly mysterious loss of peace of mind, or worse. The telling of one lie always makes the next one easier. Sometimes this practice has so developed that an individual is not believed even when he tells the truth.

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