Monday's Resolution {Speaking Truth}

We are picking apart Jonathan Edward's 70 Resolutions, one week and one resolution at a time. Don't forget to start where he did- "Being sensible that I am unable to do anything without God's help, I do humbly entreat Him by His grace to enable me to keep these Resolutions, so far as they are agreeable to His will, for Christ's sake."

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34. Resolved, in narrations never to speak anything but the pure and simple verity.

Recently a very good in-real-life friend gave birth to her second child. She and her husband named their daughter "Verity". While not in common use today, "verity" means "truth." It was a name used by the Puritans, a group of believers who valued God's Truth. 

Christians by nature {ought to} value TRUTH. We believe that there is only one True God, one True Savior, His Son Jesus Christ, and that He has spoken absolute truth to us through His Word. We are commanded to speak the truth in love (Eph. 4:15), and to delight in the Word of Truth.

While we are committed to truth in theory, and cling to the truths of doctrines and directives, are we equally committed to truth in our speech?

Speaking the pure and simple truth is so much more than simply not lying.

Pure= clean, uncontaminated, spotless.

Simple= unadorned, not doctored, not exaggerated. 

While we might be able to refrain from outright lying most of the time {though even there I confess I've stumbled, sinner that I am}, do we add little touches to our stories, to paint them in a nicer light or to better suit our purposes?

Do I allow my prejudices and just plain old sinfulness to color my words? Instead of just stating the facts, do I assume to know the hearts of the people involved, and sinfully read into their motives? 

"When words are many, transgression is not lacking, but whoever restrains his lips is prudent." 
Proverbs 10:19

This verse has pierced my heart so many times. I need to remember to keep it simple, keep it pure, keep it true... and then to keep quiet. 

"Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer." Psalm 19:14