Jeremiah 38:1-5: a reflection

1Shephatiah the son of Mattan, Gedaliah the son of Pashhur, Jucal the son of Shelemiah, and Pashhur the son of Malchijah heard the words that Jeremiah spoke to all the people, saying, 2“The LORD says, ‘He who remains in this city will die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence, but he who goes out to the Chaldeans will live. He will escape with his life and he will live.’ 3The LORD says, ‘This city will surely be given into the hand of the army of the king of Babylon, and he will take it.’” 4Then the princes said to the king, “Please let this man be put to death, because he weakens the hands of the men of war who remain in this city, and the hands of all the people, in speaking such words to them; for this man doesn’t seek the welfare of this people, but harm.” 5Zedekiah the king said, “Behold, he is in your hand; for the king can’t do anything to oppose you.”

When Jeremiah faithfully delivers God's hard word, that the city will fall and those who surrender will live, the officials turn against him, demanding his death: This man doesn't seek the welfare of this people, but harm. They accuse Jeremiah of being against the people, of seeking their harm; but in truth, Jeremiah was telling them the very thing that could save them, the way to live. The one who told the hard truth, out of genuine concern for their good, was accused of being against them. They misjudged the messenger of hard truth as an enemy, when he was in fact seeking their welfare by telling them what they did not want to hear.

Notice how the truth-teller was wrongly seen as against the people. Jeremiah's message was unwelcome, hard to hear; and because it was unwelcome, the officials concluded he was against them, seeking their harm. But they misjudged him; Jeremiah told them the hard truth precisely for their good, to show them the way to live. The one who tells us a hard truth, out of genuine concern, is often wrongly seen as an enemy, as against us, simply because the truth is unwelcome. But the hard truth, told out of love, may be the very thing that seeks our welfare. Jeremiah was not against the people; he was for them, telling them the truth that could save them, though they took him for an enemy.

That is worth taking to heart, for the one who tells us a hard truth is often wrongly seen as against us, though they may be seeking our good. When someone tells us a hard truth we do not want to hear, we can conclude they are against us, seeking our harm, and turn against them, as the officials did to Jeremiah; but the hard truth, told out of genuine concern, may be the very thing that seeks our welfare. Do not conclude that the one who tells you a hard truth is against you; they may be for you, seeking your good, as Jeremiah sought the people's welfare by telling them the truth. Consider that the one who tells you a hard, unwelcome truth may be seeking your good rather than your harm, as Jeremiah was wrongly accused of seeking the people's harm when he told them the way to live; for the hard truth, told out of genuine concern, may be the very thing that seeks our welfare, and we do well not to turn against the one who tells it as though they were our enemy.

Lord, when Jeremiah faithfully delivers your hard word, that the city will fall and those who surrender will live, the officials turn against him, demanding his death: this man doesn't seek the welfare of this people, but harm. They accuse Jeremiah of being against the people; but in truth, Jeremiah was telling them the very thing that could save them, the way to live. The one who told the hard truth, out of genuine concern for their good, was accused of being against them. Show me how the truth-teller was wrongly seen as against the people. Jeremiah's message was unwelcome, hard to hear; and because it was unwelcome, the officials concluded he was against them. But they misjudged him; Jeremiah told them the hard truth precisely for their good, to show them the way to live. The one who tells us a hard truth, out of genuine concern, is often wrongly seen as an enemy, simply because the truth is unwelcome. But the hard truth, told out of love, may be the very thing that seeks our welfare. Take that to my heart, for the one who tells me a hard truth is often wrongly seen as against me, though they may be seeking my good. When someone tells me a hard truth I do not want to hear, I can conclude they are against me, seeking my harm, and turn against them, as the officials did to Jeremiah; but the hard truth, told out of genuine concern, may be the very thing that seeks my welfare. Keep me from concluding that the one who tells me a hard truth is against me; help me consider that they may be for me, Lord, seeking my good, as Jeremiah sought the people's welfare by telling them the truth.