Truth Is All I Need

 “Do not add to what I command you and do not subtract from it, but keep the commands of the Lord your God that I give you.”  

Deuteronomy 4:2 (NIV) 

   As I sat down in the front row at the meeting, I took a deep breath and prayed I would not be nervous. I had been invited to a school district in a large city to share information about the abstinence program I had been teaching at our school for several years.

    I glanced around and quickly realized there were three women at the meeting who were staring at me so I smiled at them. They did not return my smile. I had spoken at several other groups and I knew that some people wouldn’t agree with the program. I was fairly certain they were in that category. My job was not to convince them that they needed this curriculum. It was simply to share what we had done at our school. 

    The superintendent led the meeting by having each person there introduce themselves, tell what they taught in school, and explain their connection, if any, to abstinence education. The first woman introduced herself and immediately turned to me and said “The idea that we should teach abstinence at our school is ridiculous.” The other two agreed with her. 

   I was asked to share our school’s information. I shared how long the program had been in our school system, the success we were having and the support we were receiving from both students and parents. I also stated that while it wasn’t a perfect program, the outcome so far had been positive as students gained confidence in themselves and their ability to make good decisions. The next person to speak directed all her comments toward me.

    “I’ve looked over the material you teach,” she began. It’s childish and no student or parent would take it seriously.” She went on. “I’ve been doing research and here is what I found,” she continued. She cited several different articles and said “These are the facts. You should have gotten the facts before you came here. Any comments?”

“I have those same articles that you just shared, all of them actually,” I told her and passed them out to everyone. “You didn’t share the facts in each one. You simply shared your opinion and it is the opposite of what each article says.” Her smile disappeared. She had not counted on my bringing the same articles with me. The meeting lasted about two hours and I was thankful to finally drive home. But my mind was not on the reason for the meeting. 

    I could not help but apply everything I heard to what I share from the Bible. Am I guilty of doing what the woman had done? Do I read God’s truth but when it doesn’t fit my opinion, either try to change it or not talk about it at all? Do I hesitate to share because I am afraid someone will be angry with me? Am I even reading His Word daily?

    Scripture is very clear. Deuteronomy 4:2 says “Do not add to what I command you and do not subtract from it, but keep the commands of the Lord your God that I give you.” My opinion is irrelevant. The only thing that matters is Truth and that only comes from the Lord. 

         As I study His word and hide it in my heart, I will be equipped to share God’s Truth with those around me. Not my opinion, not what I think the answer might be, but Truth from the Living God. I never learned the outcome of the meeting that night but I did learn something much more important: Truth from God’s Word is all that I need.   

    Father, I want to share your Word - Truth - and not my opinions. Please help me to seek you every day so I will have your Word in my heart, ready to share. In Jesus’ Name. Amen. 

R.A.P. it u p . . . 

Reflect

• What are some reasons you give for changing what the Bible says?

• Is it to fit your opinion or so that when you share, the person won’t be mad at you?

Apply

• Write down opinions that you have or that others have shared with you.

• Go to the Word and search for Truth. Does it support your opinions or God?

Power 

• Deuteronomy 4:2 (NIV) “Do not add to what I command you and do not subtract from it, but keep the commands of the Lord your God that I give you.”  

• Psalm 119:11 (NIV) “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.”

• Isaiah 55:8-9 (NIV) “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”