The Truth Just Doesn’t Matter! Or, Does It?

 

¹³ Kings take pleasure in honest lips;
    they value a man who speaks the truth.

—The words of King Solomon from Proverbs 16:13

 

In the fall of 1968 through the early summer of 1969, I had the privilege of making several day-long inspections with Robert W. Gilmore. Bob was an electrical inspector with the New York Board of Fire Underwriters Burerau of Electricity. He was also the fire chief in Houghton, NY. I owe much of my interest in the inspection aspect of fire protection to Bob. In any case, I would take a day off from my job at the Houghton College Press and ride with Bob throughout Allegany County, New York, while he inspected new electrical installations.

A recent change to NFPA 70-1968, National Electrical Code^®, affected the installation of the service entrance bonding bushing. Virtually every inspection we made, Bob discovered that the electrician had not installed the service entrance bonding bushing correctly. Even as he wrote up the official paperwork explaining the reason that he could not approve the electrical work and permit the utility company to turn on the power to the building, he would include a note that he had painstakingly typed. The note gave the specific reference from the NEC and a very practical explanation of how to comply with this new requirement. This special effort to expound the truth on Bob’s part would help most electricans understand the mistake they had made and what to do to correct it.

The fifth or sixth time I traveled with Bob, I would imagine about May of 1969, I noted with surprise that two particular electricians still insisted on installing the service entrance bonding bushing incorrectly on every job of theirs we looked at. I mentioned this to Bob. He explained that he had offered to spend time with each of these two electrician to go over the changes to the NEC and help them learn how to comply. Each of them refused.

After explaining all the other steps Bob had taken to try, unsuccessfully, to help these electricans do the right thing, he concluded his recitation by saying, “This is one of those cases where the truth just doesn’t matter.”

Recently, while mulling another fire protection problem over in my mind in the wee hours of the morning, Bob Gilmore’s statement came tumbling forth from the deep recesses of my mind. I thought to myself, “I wonder if this is one of those cases where the truth just doesn’t matter?”

Thinking about a whole host of unrelated situations in the days since my middle-of-the-night revelation, I have concluded that, from a purely human standpoint, there may well exist situations where the truth just doesn’t matter. Sometimes the people on one side or another in an argument have so hardened their hearts that even if they had irrefutable evidence laid in front of them, they would not honor the truth. Uttering a host of side-stepping excuses, they would hold on tightly to what they have come to believe. Even in the face of absolute, unquestioned truth, they would stick to the lies out of which they have woven their beliefs.

I must admit that for a while, after considering all this, I became withdrawn into that inward place where we all go when we feel defeated. But then I sensed the Holy Spirit nudging me to remember the words of King Solomon that appear at the beginning of this blog post. Some people may dig in deeply and hold to the lies that surround them, but “kings take pleasure in honest lips.”

I am encouraged that to kings—and most importantly to the King of Kings—the truth does matter. That’s good enough for me. I intend to hold to the truth. Whether or not anyone else will surrender to that truth becomes their problem. Not mine.

Will you pray with me?

Thank You, God, for loving us. Thank You for sending Jesus to be our Savior. Thank You for sending us Your Holy Spirit to dwell within us.

We praise You that You take pleasure in honest lips. You honor the truth. You hold to the truth. You love the truth. You are the truth. You long to imbue Your truth into us.

Thank You, dear Father, for Your wisdom and understanding as you so patiently teach us through Your Word. And, thank You for hearing our prayer in and through the precious Name of Your Son, our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

_{Copyright © 2012 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}