Apr 13

When Jesus told Pilate that everyone on the side of truth listened to him, Pilate gave his famous retort, "What is truth?" (John 18:38).

There are many people today who are like Pilate. They either think that there is no such thing as truth, certainly not absolute truth; or else they think that truth is a matter of individual subjectivity. Like Pilate, therefore, they walk away from the truth.

Pilate was confronted with truth face to face in the person of Jesus. Jesus is the living Word of God made flesh. Yet Pilate did not even recognize truth when encountering it in such a plain and direct way.

Pilate is not alone in this world. Even today, there are far more who choose to walk away from the truth in Jesus Christ than those who rejoice in having found this most basic of necessities for life.

And it is a matter of life and death. Pilate's rejection of truth cost Jesus his life. Hitler's rejection of truth cost millions upon millions of people their lives in a worldwide war. Other names could be added to the list. But thank God there was One who stood up for truth even at the cost of his own life. We are called upon by God to do the same. Our devotion to Christ must be so total that we are not afraid to risk our lives for the truth, even unto death.

"They did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death" (Rev. 12:11).

Scripture for today: Rev. 2:10
Thought for today: A life lived without the truth is a life not worth living.
Prayer for today: Lord, make my life one worth living -- a life lived with you as my only truth.

APR 13