Truth, and the truthful true ones who speak it.

For Monday, September 12 2005
Proverbs 12:16

Whoever speaks the truth gives honest evidence,
but a false witness utters deceit.

The teacher of the wisdom of Proverbs wants not just for the hearer to become more diligent in his labor, and for him to learn to avoid folly in his life, but to put his knowledge of God and His world to use in being a just king over it. Solomon writes his proverbs to his prince, and to others of his charge who will seek office within his kingdom.

He wants them to know the task of rule, and about what will happen when cases are brought before them to decide matters of justice and righteousness. For the judge to rightly vindicate the righteous and condemn the wicked, he must know which of the two parties is giving true testimony.

This proverb seems in one sense to be speaking a truism or a tautology: "the one who is truthful is honest". Well, as we say nowadays "no duh!"

In fact, there are many reasons why we might still chose to overlook the discrepancies in the false witness' testimony, and give no heed to the honest evidence of the true witness. Perhaps the truth speaker lacks charm or charisma. Perhaps the dissembler is well known to us, and the other party is an unknown. Perhaps the liar has offered bribes (Proverbs is replete with warnings about the perversion of justice brought by bribes). There are many reasons why we might give up a love for the truth of a matter to decide to throw in our lot with the one who's lies are pleasant or comfortable.

When we don't love unlovely truth, we may end up asking "What is truth?"