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If you continue in My word, then you are truly My disciples; and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free (John 8:31-32, ESV).
As disciples, we must tell the truth.
Jesus taught that telling the truth would set us free, but often, we say what’s expedient, perhaps just a white lie, to avoid conflict or offending. It’s easier, less painful, to say what’s expedient.
But we don’t find freedom or peace in lies. Even small untruths can accumulate into a mountain of falsehood that, sooner or later, cascades upon us.
When asked about eating the fruit of knowledge, Adam spoke expeditiously, “The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me the fruit, and I ate.” When Jesus challenged the Rich Young Ruler, “Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor and come follow me,” the young ruler turned away because he was extremely rich, and following Jesus wasn’t expedient.
And we witness Pilate, the Bible’s epitome of expediency. . .
When Pilate saw that he was gaining nothing, but rather that a riot was beginning, he took water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this man’s blood; see to it yourselves” (Matthew 27:24).
Truth caused the crowds to cheer when Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a young donkey colt, but soon after, truth twisted through expediency, made the same crowds shout, “Crucify!”
Do we speak the simple truth, or do we say what’s expedient?
We don’t want to cause trouble. We want to be left alone. Does it matter that we think it’s better for our country, our church, and our livelihood to just smile and not say a thing or couch the matter in palatable terms?
Expediency says just enough to ease our conscience or convince ourselves we told the truth.
Jordan Peterson, in his book Twelve Rules for Life, writes. . .
Expedience—that’s hiding all the skeletons in the closet. That’s covering the blood you just spilled with a carpet. That’s avoiding responsibility. It’s cowardly, and shallow, and wrong … There is no faith and no courage and no sacrifice in doing what is expedient … What is expedient works only for the moment. It’s immediate, impulsive and limited.
Let’s confess. We’ve all taken the path of expediency, and all of us have suffered because of the expedient actions of others — it was the most expedient thing to do to fire us from a job, tell everyone but us about a matter of importance, or not stand with us as friends.
Truth can be seemingly unreasonable, even hurtful to others. Sharpened, it can divide friends and family and comes at an extreme price. But let’s consider the penalties if we allow the expediency of fear to keep us from telling the truth.
As Jesus says, “The truth will set you free!”