The world needs truth walkers now more than ever before. Those who tread that path are not usually found in the popular crowd. They tend to not be the most trendy folks on the horizon. Their interests lean more toward the spiritual foundations of eternity rather than temporal fads of the day. They don’t always fit well with the truth talkers who only speak of the truth but rarely take steps along its steep incline. While the world doesn’t necessarily gather around to praise the truth walkers, it still needs them.
Loving Truth
There are a number of characteristics that set truth walkers into a solo category. The first of these is noted by the Apostle John in his second letter. John mentions a unique love in the first verse of this letter. Truth walkers have an understanding of love that is far different from the world. While the world is in and out of love at the drop of a hat or the change of a season, the truth walkers know and have experienced that true love is lasting. It is the type of love that Jesus mentioned in John 15:13 when he said, “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” True love is sacrificial and gives all. That is the type of love that those who walk in the truth express and experience.
Living Truth
Another characteristic John reveals in his letter is that truth is living. Therefore, a truth walker does not handle the truth as a document or declaration but more as the reality of life rooted in the eternal presence of God. Why is this important? Facts can lie in a library for ages in print on paper. They can roll across a monitor in a busy airport as passengers file by obliviously lost in their hurried lives. However, the living truth of God is experienced on a daily basis as it beats through the hearts of truth walkers around the world. That same truth is expressed and produces life change when it is transferred through the words and actions of a loving parent. It reaches into the lonely hearts of fragile lives as they receive support and encouragement from those walking in living truth. As the truth lives in the paces of Christ followers it finds fruitful expression in homes, marketplaces, and hangouts each and every day.
“As the truth lives in the paces of Christ followers it finds fruitful expression in homes, marketplaces, and hangouts each and every day.”
Blessed Truth
Then there is the characteristic of a tri-fold blessing of grace, mercy, and peace that floods the lives of the truth walkers. The presence of these three is promised to those who are doing the hard work of maintaining their walk of truth consistently. That is why when their steps take them through the valley of the shadow of death or to the tops of the mountains of victory, you will often find their souls flavored with the grace of undeserved favor from God, the gratefulness for mercy of a heart that knows it is unworthy, and the peace that flies above all earthly understanding guarding their hearts and minds.
Joyful Truth
Finally there is the characteristic of the fruit of joy from others as truth walkers continue their trek along the path of authenticity. Again, this way is not one that is easily taken like a stroll after breakfast on a paved path next to a gentle river. Truth walking is much more like a steep climb among the rocks on a sweltering afternoon. That is why John mentions obedience at the end of verse four in his second letter. Why did John have so much joy at finding others who were walking in the truth. I’m sure it could be it was because John himself was a truth walker. He knew it was, at times, difficult to maintain those steps of honesty in a world that did not necessarily care for the truth. When you find those that are not just like you but in a greater way reflect the core of the Lord, then you are in the company of truth.
Truth walkers are not popular but now, just as before when John was around, they are desperately needed in our world. Keep walking!
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