God's Top 4

"These are the things that you should do: Speak the truth to one another, render in your gates judgments that are true and make for peace, do not devise evil in your hearts against one another, and love no false oath; for all these are things I hate, says the LORD."

(Zechariah 8:16-17)

Every so often as I read Scripture, I come across a verse or two that's just dense with wisdom. Oftentimes I find powerful verses that stand out - but from time to time one comes along that's just saturated with truth. Such is the case today with Zechariah 8:16-17. God is speaking through the prophet to the people of Israel. He's telling them they'll eventually return from exile... life will go back to normal, and all of the pain, struggle, and heartache will be reversed. In order to be ready for that time, God gives the people some simple (yet profound) advice:

Speak the truth to one another... be truth tellers! Don't deceive or life to anyone, yes. But also care enough to share your heart and life with others, transparently. Be true and God can bring intimacy and strength in your relationships.

Render true judgments that make for peace... Don't let politics get in the way of JUSTICE! Choose to be agents of peace, not division. All throughout the Bible God speaks about justice. Don't let it be perverted by people in power, the wealthy, or bullies. Work for peace!

Don't plan evil against others... This should be a no-brainer. Hope, believe, and plan the best for others... even when they've hurt you. Avoid evil at all costs. It will only damage your soul.

Love no false oath... This is an off-shoot of speaking truth, but when it comes to legally-binding statements, don't be deceptive. Period. Let your 'yes' be 'yes' and your 'no' be 'no,' as Paul would say.

Of all these items, it could very well be that the one which has the potential to have the greatest effect on the world is the first: speaking truth (about ourselves and others). If one with sensitivity, compassion, and grace, this could be transforming!