Nothing else matters

If you were asked the question ‘what is the most valuable commodity in the world?’ – what would be your answer?

My answer to that question is simple. The truth.

Jesus’s words, as recorded in the bible – John 8:32

The solid rock

I believe the truth is the only firm foundation on which anything good in life is built.

A few examples…

Any healthy relationships between people – at any scale – are built on trust. For trust to exist, the truth must be known. Without trust, there cannot be a healthy relationship between two parties.

The world’s political systems are dependent on trust, so our political leaders must speak the truth. We need to be able to trust our leaders for society to grow and be healthy.

The credibility of the world’s sporting contests are built on the participants competing with credibility. They cannot be dopers and be credible. Active dopers are not telling the truth.

The justice system (at least in the UK) is meant to be built on the truth (the recent Post Office Horizon IT scandal being an obvious example of when it hasn’t been, through the course of justice being perverted by liars). All the various parts of the justice system machinery are meant to play a role in determining what the truth is, and ensuring appropriate actions are then taken for the good of all people involved.

I believe it’s crucial that human society – at any scale, in any way – is founded on the truth, otherwise it will never flourish and thrive.

Words are my currency

I’m a blogger, speaker and relational networker – so for me words are the very currency I deal in. They are the Pounds Sterling or US Dollars of my work.

For any financial currency to have value, it must be based on something solid. That’s why the Bank of England has actual gold bars locked away in a vault underground in central London. Without a solid, tangible, valuable substance to underpin it, the banknotes that are issued by the Bank of England would have next to no financial worth at all – they’d just be a bit of paper with a picture on.

Bank notes in a country where money has lost its value

What gives someone’s words value?

For someone in my line of work, it goes without saying this is an absolutely crucial question.

I could possess the best technical writing skills on the planet and be able to tell really compelling, emotive stories.

I could speak with huge charisma and bravery and be able capture my audiences’s attention wonderfully well.

But…

If what I am saying or writing is not true, then it would be completely worthless or – even worse still – downright dangerous.

If I could speak all the languages of love and of angels, but I didn’t love others, I would be only a noisy gong or clanging cymbal. If I had the gift of prophesy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing. If I gave everything I have to the poor, and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it, but if I didn’t love others, I’d have gained nothing. —1 Corinthians 13:1-3

The ‘gold bars’ that give our words value

The only thing that gives my – or anyone else in the world’s – words value is if they are true.

That’s a very obvious thing to say.

The key question is, how can you evaluate – make a ‘value judgement’ – as to whether someone’s words are true or not?

Below are some thoughts on this. Perhaps these thoughts could help you evaluate if the words you read and hear are true or not?

I invite you to critically evaluate the words anyone says or writes – including the words I say and write. If things I say are false, then they should be dismissed as such, because at best they’d be unhelpful to healthy living, and at worst damaging to it.

I invite you to evaluate the words you hear and read in the media today too, from people in positions of leadership and influence. It goes without saying that for a thriving and healthy society, it’s imperative that the words of those in positions of leadership and authority are truthful.

Real gold, or fools gold?

Here are four criteria I think can help us tell the truth from lies:

• Is the person communicating of sound mind? In other words, do they fully understand and comprehend what they’re saying?

• Does the person communicating have the relevant experience and/or expertise in the particular subject they are communicating about? Perhaps this may come through lived experience of a situation, or if they’ve had the privilege of educational or vocational training in a particular subject or field of interest.

  
  

• Is the ultimate goal of what the person is saying unity, harmony, joy, happiness and peace?

  
  

• Are they a person of consistent, good character? Do the actions and behaviours of the person speaking/writing match up with, or contradict their words? This criteria is obviously best assessed over a prolonged period of time – after all everyone is human so will inevitably make some mistakes in life. However, over a long period of time, it will become very apparent if a person’s actions match up with their words. Taking the UK’s political leaders as a case study: are their words (assuming the goal of these words is harmony and flourishing) backed up with tangible actions and policies that would enable their aims to become reality?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NSD11dnphg0

Fools Gold, by the Stone Roses

This is critical…

…critical evaluation.

Please properly evaluate the words you hear and read to help you make a value judgement on if they are true, or false.

This is absolutely key to a good, healthy society – at all scales and levels – as it enables people to be held to account for their words.

Being able to discern what is true and what isn’t true is so crucial, as the truth is the only foundation on which a free, just and joyful society can be built.

People need to know the truth in order that they may have flourishing, thriving lives. This is why I believe it is not just bloggers for whom the truth is so valuable – I believe the truth is all humanity’s most valuable commodity.

My prayer

I long to see the truth rule and reign in all the world, because it’s only when that happens that our world can thrive, at any scale of human society.

I believe Jesus is the way, the truth and the life.

I pray that today you will believe in Jesus.

With love,

David

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rayr0MwKwo8

“On Christ the solid rock I stand; all other ground is sinking sand”