Standing firm in truth
by Emma Strelan
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Then Pilate asked him, ‘Don’t you hear the testimony they are bringing against you?’ But Jesus made no reply, not even to a single charge – to the great amazement of the governor (Matthew 27:13,14).
Read Matthew 27:11–23
I greatly admire those who can speak their truth and leave it at that. I feel slightly jealous of those people because when given a gap to fill, I often rush to defend decisions and the things I want people to understand from my perspective.
As humans, we have an innate desire to defend ourselves. But it seems like Jesus doesn’t. Why is that?
Silence is powerful. Jesus clearly knows that. But also, Jesus isn’t interested in defending himself. That’s not the ultimate reason why he came to us. Yes, the Word was made flesh to reveal God more fully, but even more importantly, it’s what God comes to do for us.
Thus, in the face of one of the most powerful people in that part of the world challenging Jesus to prove his claims, he whose very name was ‘the Word’, was silent.
Jesus has made the truth known – he is the King of the Jews, the prophesied Messiah – and no decisions made by religious or political leaders will change that.
God is who he is, no matter what we try to say about him.
In a time when it is easy to encounter opposition to the gospel we hold onto, and untrue accusations may be made about our faith, we can stand firm in knowing that we have a God whose truth is made known to us daily – in our baptism and through his Word.
Don’t we all wish we had Jesus’ strength of will and patience to stand so firmly in who we are without rushing to defend our sense of self when challenged? I am thankful that I have God’s truth to stand on, instead of my own. That’s a much firmer foundation.
God, our strength, give us the discernment to know when to speak and when to be silent. May we be reminded daily of the truth and weight of the gospel in our lives. Amen.
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