Kick the Bucket

“Simple truth”, “honest truth”, and “raw truth” are terms that are often used without the depth of the meaning of the phrase being embraced. Yet, expecting someone to tell the truth, ties their response closely to the morality issue that is raised. Lying is bad, therefore truth is good. What about an unvoiced truth? A hidden fact or information about a situation that remains unspoken. When one simply chooses to keep truth from another, what should that be called? Hidden truth? Scripture says do not hide your light under a bucket.

The reality of that is if you hide your candle under a bucket, you’re likely to start a fire. Is that not what happens when a believer hides information that is painful? How many fires get set this way?

If your brother offends you, go sulk. Well, there are days when I wish that is what my Bible said, but it doesn’t. If your brother offends you, go to him. Hmm, sounds like I would need to take action. Reaction, not action, is required if truth is under a bucket. What type of reaction is determined by when the offender comes to me; before or after the bucket catches on fire.

In a well known movie, a young military lawyer is questioning a commanding office on the witness stand. As tempers rise, the young attorney yells at the Officer that he wants the truth. Equally loud in volume the Officer shouts back, “You can’t handle the truth!”

Is this the roll model believers are to follow in difficult or conflict situations? Does one become judge and jury in deciding if truth can be received and therefore will place it under a bucket if they deem it cannot?

A forest fire of relationships can burn simply because a few truths were put under a bucket. Allowing the bucket to catch on fire causes the priority of self preservation to become primary to truth. Was the Officer correct? Is the truth more than most of us can handle?

It seems like, more often than not, if a few more believers would kick the bucket and speak with truth and love, there would be a few less fires.