Read: John 8:23-32
Buy truth, and do not sell it; buy wisdom, instruction, and understanding. (Prov. 23:23)
I happened to be browsing in a jewelry store one day while my wife was getting a new battery to put in her watch. A nicely dressed salesman politely asked if there was something I was interested in. Looking at all the glitter and sparkle in the display cases, I smiled and said that we had reached a point in our lives where we really didn’t need or want to buy any more gifts for ourselves. The salesman smiled back and said, “I understand.”
There is one thing we all should buy though. As John Bunyan’s pilgrims, Christian and Hopeful, replied when asked what they wished to buy in Vanity Fair, “We buy the truth” (The Pilgrim’s Progress, pt. 1).
These days, however, the very notion of “truth” has become controversial. Depending on where you get your news and information, the truth can be elusive. What are we supposed to believe? Whom should we listen to? The government? The media (which ones)? Our Facebook feed? The guy who tweets links to alarming stories and videos? How about listening to Jesus? “I am . . . the truth” (John 14:6). Or this: “You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:32). We buy truth—and wisdom—when we believe in Jesus, the Son of God, Savior of the world, and Lord of our lives. He sets free from sin and death, and from excessive fear about the future. —David Bast
As you pray, thank God for the eternal security that is ours in Christ.
About the Author
Rev. Dave Bast retired as the President and Broadcast Minister of Words of Hope in January 2017, after 23 years with the ministry. Prior to his ministry and work at Words of Hope, Dave served as a pastor for 18 years in congregations in the Reformed Church in America. He is the author of several devotional books. A graduate of Hope College and Western Theological Seminary, he has also studied at both the Fuller and Calvin seminaries. Dave and his wife, Betty Jo, have four children and four grandchildren. Dave enjoys reading, growing tomatoes, and avidly follows the Detroit Tigers.
