Daily Jewel

by Pastor Carnell, McAlester, OK

“Truth Needs No Explanation”
“The More talk…the less truth....” – Proverbs 10:19 (MSG)

I’ve noticed that the more something needs explaining—the more likely it is the person doing the explaining is attempting to justify some wrong actions. For example, I come home to discover a lamp has been broken. I go to each of my three children and ask them this simple question: “Did you break the lamp?” If one of them says, “No, but…” and then begins this long dialogue detailing the events—I have my suspicion that this is the guilty party.
The bottom line that I believe Solomon is attempting to get across is this—truth does not need to be explained. It is clear!
One of the most famous speeches in American history was given by Abraham Lincoln and it lasted all of two and half minutes. We know it as the Gettysburg Address. What many may not know that Lincoln’s speech was not the main address—that was given by the honorable Edward Everett (who was a member of the House of Representatives) and it went for over two hours. Everett was considered to be one of the greatest orator’s of his day but no one remembers his speech—but Lincoln’s is the one that people still talk about.
When I was in college I was encouraged to keep my sermons, “short and to the point.” To bring this home, one day one of my professor’s stood up in front of us, pulled out a stop-watch, clicked it, and began “preaching” by reading Jesus’ “Sermon on the Mount.” (Matthew, chapters 5 through 7). When he was finished, he stopped the watch and then said, “Jesus, in less than 10 minutes gave us the greatest sermon ever preached. Can anyone here do better?”
In His “Sermon on the Mount,” Jesus said something very similar to these words found in Proverbs: “Simply let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No'; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.” – Matthew 5:37. If you go a bit deeper, Jesus was attempting to keep us focused on one thing—truth! And He is the truth.
Consider one other example. We call it, “The Lord’s Prayer.” In reality, it is more the Disciple’s Prayer for it was they who asked Jesus to teach them how to pray. The prayer takes less than a minute but it truly says everything necessary for us to reach God’s heart and ears! Speak it for yourself—and time it. See what you think:

“‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.”
If someone has to “explain” themselves and/or their actions in a lengthy manner—the end result is actually more self-justification (or evasion) rather than the whole truth. By the way, not everyone will believe the truth when they hear it—but in the end there is only One who truly matters. The One from whom all truth originated.
In short, believe the truth…live the truth…and He will give you the strength to speak it as well.
Pastor J. T. Carnell