And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. (John 8:32)
Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. (John 17:17)
Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; (1 Corinthians 13:6)
For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth. (2 Corinthians 13:8)
For the truth’s sake, which dwelleth in us, and shall be with us forever. (2 John 13:8)
I have an admission. The ascension of Donald Trump to the presidency has caused me to consider nearly everything from my Southern upbringing. The values instilled in me at home and at the Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church emphasized honesty and integrity. I grew up believing these character traits were prerequisites to being a decent and successful man. But it appears our new commander-in-chief has made a mockery of these traits. Still, there he is at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.
So now I’m questioning the value of telling the truth and being honest. In fact, I’ve stressed to my sons to always tell the truth, even if the consequences are uncomfortable.
Not only did I grow up believing in the truth (whatever that is), but also in the sad reality that some people are white supremacists.
In 1955, Chicago teen Emmett Till was brutally murdered in Mississippi. A young woman testified in court, under oath, that Till said something inappropriate to her. Even then rational individuals had to admit that there was nothing he could have said to warrant such a horrific death.
That young woman, Carolyn Bryant Donham whose testimony initially criminalized Till has now confessed that it was all a lie. Her testimony was a lie. Wow.
Now I’m really in a quandary. I don’t know if I should be angry, outraged, or merely numb. Not only do I not know how I should feel, but I don’t even know what to say. I’m in a profession where others expect me to help them find the truth. But how am I supposed to do that when I’m now questioning what the truth really is?
I don’t know why Donham lied in 1955 or why she waited decades to confess. She’ll have to answer to that one. I do know her lie cost an innocent teen his life and his mother immeasurable anguish for the remainder of her life. They didn’t deserve that.
Well, I guess it’s not for me to know the “hows and whys” of this life. My faith tells me that tomorrow is not promised and every day is a blessing from the Grand Architect. Therefore, the truth is this life is a journey and I’m merely a traveler heading to eternity.
So, I guess the values learned in my childhood are still applicable after all. I haven’t always been perfect, far from it. But I still believe that honesty and integrity build character. After all, Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. (John 8:32).