A Tribute to Truth

I Kings 3: 7 – 9

Jesus said, “… you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”  (John 8:32)

Who among us does not long for such freedom? Who among us does not need such truth to enable us to make right choices and right judgements?

One morning the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Lord Chancellor of England awakened a blue-eyed girl to say to her, “Your uncle, the King, died last night and you are the Queen of the far-flung British Empire on which the sun never sets.” Then, the Archbishop read to her Solomon’s prayer in I Kings 3: 7-9:

“Now, O Lord my God, You have made Your servant king instead of my father David, but I am a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in. And Your servant is in the midst of Your people whom You have chosen, a great people, too numerous to be numbered or counted. Therefore give to Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people, that I may discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of Yours?”

As with the young Queen there are so many hours of decision in our lives we need understanding hearts to discern between good and evil. Often our difficult choices relate to deciding between what is good and that which is best. Our lives are a summary of our decisions. We need help in making our decisions.

Jesus offered this caution regarding decisions related to others: “Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.”  (Matthew 7:1, 2)

Most of us are umpires at heart. We want to call balls and strikes on someone else. For some judging is a sporadic problem. For others it is a chronic life-long problem. Such persons keep a vigil for weaknesses in others. Jesus said, “with the same measure you use, it will be measured back to you.”

Be very careful what you say about others and how you treat them because “What goes around comes around.”

Jesus Christ said, “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.”  (Matthew 6:24)

Is Jesus Christ the Sovereign Lord of your life? Does He rule in your life?

In an old book authored by Dr. Ralph Sockman entitled “The Highest Happiness” he points out that the only contender for the “seat of sovereignty is self.” That is, you are the only contender for the office of God in your life other than the true and living God. Jesus phrased it this way, “You cannot serve God and mammon.” There is room for only one on the throne of your life. 

In writing the Christians at Rome Paul appealed, “Please not yourself.” This is an appeal to do those things pleasing to the Lord and not merely ego gratifying. When a commitment to Jesus isn’t simply as Savior, but also Lord, then there is the highest happiness.

We need to be able to pray with Jesus, “Not my will, but Thy will be done.”

Regarding the moment at hand pause and pray such an self-effacing prayer.