Putting the Truth Away

DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL OF MARK

PUTTING THE TRUTH AWAY

Mark 12:12

12 Then they looked for a way to arrest him because they knew he had spoken the parable against them. But they were afraid of the crowd; so they left him and went away.

NIV

This is actually the resulting feelings of the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders because of the parable Jesus had just finished telling them. It is certainly telling of how much they despise being told the truth about their lifestyle. It seems it is not enough to just ignore the truth, but they wanted to destroy the truth in an effort to maintain the way things were because it surely was to their benefit keeping the way it was. The truth is supposed to set us free, but their desires for keeping their own positions and lives were so strong they needed to put the truth to death. The truth, or the light exposes the darkness or sin that is within our hearts and those men did not even want theirs exposed. Surely we are not free of sin, even after we become born again, but at least we are not only aware of out sin, but we have remorse, guilt, shame, and seek forgiveness, praying that we will not fall to that temptation again. Even if we do fail again, we still continue to pray for forgiveness and the strength to overcome such thoughts or behaviors or we should say words, thoughts or deeds. If it amazing, however, that even though these men wanted to put the truth away, their fear of the crowd, of what people would do to them kept them from putting their plan into action, at least for the moment. But it is clear, their hatred for Jesus and the truth he spoke to them is driving them rather than any sense of guilt and shame and feeling the need to repent and change their ways. Surely this speaks to the issue of not just ignoring the truth, but actually wanting to put it away in order to continue whatever we desire to do. We may not try to arrest and have Jesus killed, but could we try to change the truth in order to fit our plans, our desires and our lifestyles? Have we endeavored to put the truth away in any fashion in order not to feel guilt about some kind of word, thought or deed? If the truth were acknowledged, we would have to agree most sin actually feels good in some sense. The priests, teachers of the law and elders were feeling good about themselves and their positions of power and authority over the people. It was pleasing to them; it was pleasurable to be important. If we are truthful with ourselves, we would have to admit whatever type of temptations we yield to is because it is pleasurable in some way, it feels good, any we like it. But we cannot allow it to take us to the place of wanting to put the truth away. We must always know the truth sets us free. Perfection may never be ours, but being sensitive to the Spirit and the truth must always be ours. We cannot put the truth away.