Be Still And Know

Exodus 23:2-3 'When you are called to testify in a dispute, do not be swayed by the crowd to twist justice. And do not slant your testimony in favour of a person just because that person is poor.' Telling the truth is absolutely crucial in a healthy society. However uncomfortable and awkward the truth might be, it needs to be proclaimed and followed at all times, or society is in peril. That means that we must not bend the truth even when we are seeking to help vulnerable people. When I first read this verse I thought it was a misprint. Surely the greatest danger is of bending the truth because a person is powerful and influential. But in saying that we mustn’t slant the truth in favour of a poor person, God is saying that we mustn’t play around with the truth whoever the person might be. However sympathetic we might be to a vulnerable and needy person, it is still vital for us to uphold the truth. I have no doubt that we all seek to tell the truth. We have been brought up to do so and we know it’s the co