It’s true: the truth does set us free

When I was growing up, our elders tried to teach us personal integrity. They taught us phrases like “honesty is the best policy” and “be who you are.”

Andre Gide expressed this well when he said, “It is better to be hated for what you are than loved for what you are not.” Jubilarian Mark Twain put it this way, “When in doubt, tell the truth.”

The following story, entitled the “Duck and the Devil,” brings out this point. The author is unknown.

“A young boy named Johnny and his sister Sally were visiting their grandparents on their farm during the summer. To keep Johnny entertained, the grandparents gave him a slingshot.

“He practiced in the woods but he could never hit the target. Getting a little discouraged, he headed back to the house for dinner.

“As he was walking back, he saw Grandma’s pet duck. Just out of impulse, he let the slingshot fly. It hit the duck square in the head and killed it. He was shocked and grieved. In a panic, he hid the dead duck in the woodpile. Sally was watching, but said nothing.

“After lunch the next day Grandma said, ‘Sally, let’s wash the dishes’

“Sally said, ‘Grandma, Johnny told me he wanted to help in the kitchen.’ Then she whispered to him, ‘Remember the duck?’ So Johnny did the dishes.

“Later that day, Grandpa asked if the children wanted to go fishing and Grandma said, ‘I’m sorry, but I need Sally to help prepare supper.’ Sally just smiled and said, ‘Well, that’s all right because Johnny told me he wanted to help.’ She whispered again, ‘Remember the duck?’ So Sally went fishing and Johnny stayed to help.

“After several days of Johnny doing both his chores and Sally’s, he finally couldn’t stand it any longer. He came to Grandma and confessed that he had killed the duck. Grandma knelt down, gave him a hug and said, ‘Sweetheart, I know. You see, I was standing at the window and I saw the whole thing, but because I love you, I forgave you. I was just wondering how long you would let Sally make a slave of you.’

“Whatever is in our past, whatever we have done, God was standing at the window and saw the whole thing. He has seen our whole lives. He wants us to know that He still loves us and that we are forgiven. He’s just wondering how long we will let the devil make slaves of us.

“God is always at the window. However, the great thing about God is that when we ask for forgiveness, God not only forgives us, but also forgets. God’s grace and mercy have saved us by Jesus’ death on the cross.”

The truth does set us free. When they brought Jesus before Pilate, the Roman prefect asked him, “So, you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.”

Like an unprincipled politician, Pilate asked him, “What is truth?” (John 18:37-38) Many politicians and others play so many “games” with reality that they no longer know what is real and what is fiction. Truth and humility go hand in hand. Both involve seeing things the way they are, the way God sees them.

Malcolm Forbes reminds us, “Too many people overvalue what they are not and undervalue what they are.” We must acknowledge our own God-given gifts. God has made us after His image and likeness, not anyone else’s. We have to become the person God wants us to be. That’s truth!