Hebrews 11: 36, “Others suffered mocking and flogging and
even chains and imprisonment.”
Often in the Old Testament when prophets and seers spoke
God’s truth, they received anger, retaliation, and punishment as a response. Ahab
threw Micaiah into prison because of his prophecy. King Asa threw Hanani into
prison “for delivering an unfavorable word from the Lord.” Jeremiah was placed
in prison and into a miry pit for speaking God’s truth. King Herod into the New
Testament had John beheaded and Peter arrested with the intent of a death
sentence.
Even today when truth is spoken in public in opposition to
leaders in any forum, the retaliation often comes as legal defamation of
character or accusations of slander. Real facts get buried under mud-slinging
and false witness.
And personally when a truth is spoken personally that we
don’t want to hear we almost immediately come up with excuses, blame others,
blame circumstances—anything so as not to take responsibility.
Yet God continues to speak truth into our world and into our
lives to bring us light and hope and restoration. His love confronts the lies
we sometimes don’t even recognize we have absorbed, and removes the poison
before it takes hold—if we are willing to listen.
Psalm of Worship: Psalm 23:3
“He restores my soul;
He guides me in the path of righteousness
For His name’s sake.
