The lie and the Truth

DEVOTION

PROVERBS

THE LIE AND THE TRUTH

Prov 29:12

12 If a ruler listens to lies, all his officials become wicked.

NIV

Who of us is a ruler that this proverb should have any bearing on our lives? It is true that any ruler who listens to lies would certainly have influence over his officials and that would be in the direction of wrongdoing. It takes a just ruler who rejects lies to have a just government of officials. Although that may not be always true in all cases. There has been rulers, presidents in our country who may not have ever listened to a lie. This listening is not just hearing a lie, but embracing it. The Hebrew word translated listen means to harken to, to prick the ears. That is to want to believe or accept the lie as truth. Perhaps we have had some presidents who were not eager or harken to a lie, but we have still had officials who are indeed wicked on their own accord. Is there any way we can bring that down to our level? Indeed we who are the head of our households could be consider a ruler in some sense. It is not that we sit on a throne and demand obedience to our every word, as a king of old might, or some dictator of today. But we have the responsibility to God for those in our family. Every scripture which speaks of the family structure puts a heavy responsibility upon the head of the household. So then if the head of the household is eager to listen to lies, would it not make sense the rest of the household would be effected by those lies? One example we could think of is the lies of the false prophets, or modern day phony preachers. Many of them broadcast their lies over various forms of media hoping to snare many others into their trap of lies in order to obtain followers and thus more money from those who listen. If we are enticed by their prosperity messages, our whole family suffers and is dragged away from the truth, thus would be considered wicked. It behooves us to be careful as to who we listen to so that our family is not subject to those same lies. Those who are the head of households need to ensure the spiritual well-being of their family and listen to the Spirit, rather than man, would be a good start. That is not to say we should abstain from church and fellowship or hearing the word of God preached. The Spirit will lead us to the right fellowship, the right church where a true man of God shares the truth and not lies. So if we are filled with the Spirit, living in accordance with the Spirit, keeping in step with the Spirit, we will discern the difference between the lie and the truth, leading our family into righteousness rather than wickedness.