Honest Evidence

Proverbs 12:17

Whoever speaks the truth gives honest evidence,
but a false witness utters deceit.

The two lines seem redundant, but the focus appears to be on the end result of each person. The truth speaker gives “honest evidence.” Don’t you feel good by that expression – honest evidence? Your inner sense of justice is aroused, even you aesthetic sense of beauty. Honest evidence – yes, this is right; this is good. That is what truth does – it brings forth rightness and goodness.

But deceit – the very sound of the word causes you to recoil. You hate lying; you hate the attempt of another person to deceive you. And that is the intent of the false witness. Whether for gain or protection, he wants to cover, to distort honest evidence for his own benefit. He takes what is right and good, and then covers it with what is repugnant and ugly.

That is what we do when we lie. We utter deceit, covering over honest evidence. That is what ministers do who use their pulpits to cover over the honest evidence of Scripture. That is what we Christians do when we speak and act like persons without the gospel in our lives. Remember, we ourselves are to be honest evidence of the gospel. Let us be those who both give honest evidence and exhibit honest evidence.