Psalm 35:19 Do not let those gloat over me
    who are my enemies without cause;
do not let those who hate me without reason
    maliciously wink the eye.

Our theme is The Joy of the Lord, but there are other forms of rejoicing, too. I had trouble choosing a particular verse to quote here, but my reaction to the passage as a whole was, “Donald Trump!” He is no David, but this certainly seems to describe the sort of attitude his opponents display toward him. The thing is, those who rebel against the Lord are quick to take up the tactics of the devil, and chief among those is falsehood. The world would be a very different place if everyone only spoke truth. Recently, the Pulitzer Prize seems to be an award for fiction! Those who genuinely desire the truth need to be patient, trusting in the One who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. (John 14:6) As He said, “Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:32) Courts of law exist to establish what is truth and what is falsehood, but sometimes they seem to seek to do the reverse, being human institutions. That can be very vexing, but we are not to give in to despair. We are to stand in and advocate for the truth at every turn, knowing that God is the ultimate definition of truth, and we want to be on His side in everything.

One of my father’s core principles was Absolute Honesty. I benefited greatly from that, even though I first heard him articulate it when I was an adult, shortly before he went straight to heaven from heart surgery. I think I operate much the same way, and falsehood really gets under my skin. There is a world of difference between ignorance and lying, and fiction for the sake of entertainment is another category altogether. I enjoy good fiction, and I encounter a lot of ignorance and misinformation, but I certainly want to abide in truth. At times I can be blunt, needlessly hurting people, and I need to keep working on that, but I have seen that “white lies” can lead to much worse things than momentary offense. That said, I don’t always have to say everything I know! I am to speak the truth, but always do it in love. (Ephesians 4:15) As Paul said, “Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.” (1 Corinthians 13:6) I am to seek to be a faithful representative of Jesus, who is the Truth.

Father, thank You for this reminder. There are an awful lot of lies being pumped out all the time, and it grieves me to see those I care about taken in by them. Guide me in praying for such people, and help me always speak Your truth in Your love, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!