I don’t know if it was original to him, but I had a close friend who used to say, “The truth stands on its own two feet.” He was the kind of guy that was not intimidated by interpersonal conflict. He was a tell-it-like-it-is type whose propensity for giving it to you straight made for some awkward moments. In our culture we generally don’t work that way. We are often tempted to hedge or moderate our stance if it might come at a personal expense. Taking a conspicuous stand for biblical truth may cost us money, but more often it takes its toll in relationships. Perhaps we are worried what bosses or co-workers may think. Or maybe we’ll alienate family members. Truth can be divisive even when it is delivered in a loving way.
Consider an account found in 2 Chronicles 18. The king of Judah, Jehoshaphat, was being enticed by the evil king of Israel, Ahab, to join him in going to war against another nation. Jehoshaphat agreed to join Ahab, but suggested they consult the Lord first. Ahab then brought in 400 of his prophets to determine if it was God’s will that they should participate in this warring alliance. To a man, every one of them said, “Go up, for God will give it into the hand of the king.” Apparently Jehoshaphat knew that Ahab’s prophets were prone to tell him what he wanted to hear, so he asked if there was a prophet they could consult that was not on Ahab’s payroll. Ahab said there was one named Micaiah, “…but I hate him, for he never prophesies good concerning me, but always evil.” Jehoshaphat insisted they call on the non-conforming prophet. Even the man that retrieved Micaiah told him, “Let your word be like the word of one of them and speak favorably.” But Micaiah responded, “As the Lord lives, what my God says, that I will speak.”
When Micaiah righteously prophesied against the plan, wicked Ahab threw a fit saying, “Did I not tell you that he would not prophesy good concerning me, but evil?” In the presence of two powerful kings, and after 400 of his peers appeased them with lies, Micaiah committed to speak God’s truth. There is no record that God promised Micaiah divine protection from these monarchs or their band of yes-men, yet he remained steadfast. In the end they did go to battle and King Ahab was killed by a “random” arrow that struck him in just the right spot in his armor, killing him.
Micaiah’s example is powerful. Could you do it? Are you prepared to speak God’s truth when authority figures and many of your peers are pressuring you to cave? These are not only questions of courage, but of trust. Do you trust that God will give you the strength to tell the truth and will see you through the other side? Do you believe that honoring God is of greater value than the esteem of others?
If that seems overwhelming, you’re not the first one to reach that conclusion. The apostle Paul saw it the same way. In 2 Corinthians 2 he describes the believer as having “the fragrance of the knowledge of [Christ].” In fact, he repeats that we are the “aroma of Christ.” We carry around with us the truth of Christ that dwells in us and the biblical truth in our hearts and minds. In verses 16-17 Paul writes, “Who is sufficient for these things? For we are not, like so many, peddlers of God’s word, but as men of sincerity, as commissioned by God, in the sight of God we speak in Christ.”
Paul acknowledges that it is not only difficult, but impossible on our own. But we’re not on our own. The word of God is not for sale and we do not twist it to suit the desire of others. As Christians with integrity, we have been “commissioned” by the King, Himself, to speak His truth. The One who commissions us to tell the truth before two kings and 400 prophets will be with us before, during and after.
Regardless of the outcome we will be able to say:
But we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God’s word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God. (2 Corinthians 4:2)