Accidentally Speaking the Truth

It fascinates me that a person, who has no intent to do so, can accidentally speak the truth.  The person may not mean to tell the truth, but it can come out of his mouth without even realizing it.  Sometimes the intent is actually evil.

I read an example of this in the Bible recently.  When the religious leaders were angry with Jesus and trying to figure out a way to kill him, they discussed the fact that if he stirred up the people, the Romans might crush them all.  Caiaphas, who was the high priest, declared that it would be good for one man to die for the sake of all.  He, of course, meant that if they killed Jesus, the Romans would not have an excuse to put down some sort of rebellion.  Rebellion of the Jews against Rome was never Jesus’ plan.  He knew that he would “die for the sake of all.”  That is, as a sacrifice for the sins of all.  Caiaphas told the truth accidentally.

I wish I had saved the Smithsonian article that inadvertently mentioned the truth.  I read it decades ago.  The frame of reference was evolution.  There was discussion about the organization of seeds in a pine cone.  Near the end of the article the author mentioned “Mother Nature’s” planned design.  Seriously!  If you can’t admit that there is a Creator with an intelligent design, you just anthropomorphize Mother Nature?  I think you have accidentally spoken the truth that there is an intelligent being behind the order in our world.

Yesterday, I read an article in Time magazine.  I was several paragraphs into the article before I realized that it was about one individual, but the person was being referred to with plural pronouns.  I understand this is sometimes part of the transgender identity and is characteristic of persons who don’t want to be defined by he/she.  I was struck though by the inconsistency of the person.  More than once in the article, quotations included the singular pronoun “my.”  If this person is a “they,” why do they not use the plural possessive pronoun “our.”  I’m sure this will make any “theys” angry, but it appears to me as an accidental speaking of the truth. 

Not everything a misguided person says is wrong.

Not everything said by a person who believes he is a truth-teller is right.

It is up to the individual to be discerning….but how?  I believe in a God who defines Truth and has revealed it through His Word.  Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6)