Be Still and Know the Truth

“After receiving the commander’s permission, Paul stood on the steps and motioned to the crowd. When they were all silent he said to them...”

Acts 21:40

Truth is seldom discovered in the midst of an uproar.

When there are many loid voices clamoring and shouting opposing views and opinions at each other it is very difficult to discover the truth in the midst of such discord.

And it certainly cannot be assumed that the truth resides just with those who are greater in number or who shout the loudest.

That can be a very wrong (and sometimes even dangerous) assumption!

As Paul was being beaten and a mob was attempting to kill him these words were recorded in Acts 21:34:

“Some in the crowd shouted one thing and some another, and since the commander could not get at the truth because of the uproar, he ordered that Paul be taken into the barracks.”

This commander rightly realized that, right or wrong, Paul was the lightening rod in the mob violence attempting to have its’ way so he had Paul removed to a safer place.

Sometimes we are desperate for the truth and yet it is concealed from us while our lives are in the midst of ‘uproar’.

Only later do we ‘discover’ the truth in the quietness of our prayer time.

Don’t make the rash decision that truth lies with the majority, the most passionate or with those willing to do outrageous things in behalf of their opinion.

God often comes to us ‘afterward’ in the quietness of the alone moments with Him to reveal His truth to us.

Verse 40 says: “When they were all silent he said to them...”

Paul spoke the truth when the mob was silenced.

Kind of reminds me of the verse that declares:

“Be still and know that I am God.”

Be still and know the truth!