Truth Stumbles in the Public Square

By Mark D. Roberts

October 7, 2024

Scripture — Isaiah 59:14 (NRSV)

Justice is turned back,
and righteousness stands at a distance;
for truth stumbles in the public square,
and uprightness cannot enter.
Truth is lacking,
and whoever turns from evil is despoiled.
The LORD saw it, and it displeased him
that there was no justice.

Focus

The God of truth calls us to speak and live truthfully, at home and at work, in church and “in the streets.” Our truthfulness reflects God’s own character and sets us apart in a world where, it seems, “uprightness cannot enter.”

Devotion

As I reflect on Isaiah 59:14, I’m struck by the phrase, “Truth has stumbled in the streets.” A more literal translation might read: “Truth totters in the square.” According to Isaiah, honesty was disappearing from the gathering places in towns and cities. This criticism applied to public officials as well as to everyday citizens. Deceit ruled the day.

Sound familiar? Far too familiar, I fear. In our day, truth continues to “stumble in the streets” as political leaders “misspeak,” as candidates “spin,” as religious leaders are discovered to have secret lives of sin, as business executives deceive their stockholders, and as our society seems to be drowning in a flood of “fake news.” AI only makes things worse! Yet even as we see our leaders squander the truth, we must admit how tempting it is for us to be less than truthful in our personal and professional lives. When we mess up at work, are we willing to own our mistakes? What about in our families? If we see our friends making terrible choices for their lives, are we bold enough to say something in love? Or do we stand back because we don’t want to get our hands dirty?

The God of truth calls us to speak and live truthfully, at home and at work, in church and “in the streets.” Our truthfulness reflects God’s own character and sets us apart in a world where, it seems, “uprightness cannot enter.” There may be times when our commitment to the truth will be unpopular. It may cost us friends, political advantage, or even our jobs. But our truthfulness honors the Lord and contributes to the work of God’s kingdom in the world.

Given how much our culture encourages us to be less than truthful, the church has an extraordinary opportunity in this day to speak, live, and abide by the truth. Sadly, sometimes the church fails in what should be our courageous commitment to the truth. Yet we do have the opportunity to challenge and encourage each other in the matter of truth. We can even hold each other accountable when it comes to speaking and living the truth. Living this way will honor the Lord and, I believe, make a difference in today’s world.

Reflect

In your life, where does truth tend to stumble?

Are there areas in your work life where you struggle with being truthful?

What might you do today to live more truthfully?

Act

As you go through this day (or tomorrow if you’re reading this in the evening), pay attention to your truthfulness (or occasional lack thereof).

Pray

Gracious God, as it was in the day of Isaiah, so it is today. Truth has stumbled in our streets, on the airwaves, in print, and on the internet. And, if I’m going to be honest, I sometimes fail to be truthful in my own life. A “little white lie” here and there makes life so much easier.

Forgive me, Lord, for my contribution to the lack of truthfulness in our world. Help me to become a person who speaks and lives the truth. May I do so with love and with boldness.

Help your people, dear Lord, to be filled with truth. May we speak and live in such a way that people see you and your truth through us. Amen.

Find all Life for Leaders devotions here. Explore what the Bible has to say about work at the unique website of our partners, the Theology of Work Project. Reflection on today’s Life for Leaders theme can be found here: Truthtelling is the Norm in the Bible.


Mark D. Roberts

Senior Strategist

Dr. Mark D. Roberts is a Senior Strategist for Fuller’s Max De Pree Center for Leadership, where he focuses on the spiritual development and thriving of leaders. He is the principal writer of the daily devotional, Life for Leaders,...

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