The Truth Can Still Hurt You

Charles Ponzi became known in the early 1920s as a swindler for his money-making scheme. Although he didn’t invent the scheme of paying earlier investors using the investments of later investors, it still bears his name. These ‘Ponzi’ have been duplicated by swindlers like Bernie Madoff and Enron. Ponzi's original scheme ran for over a year before it collapsed, costing his "investors" $20 million at the time or about $250 million in today's dollars.

But that might not be the most audacious way he made money.

When a Boston financial writer suggested there was no way Ponzi could legally deliver such high returns in a short period of time, Ponzi sued for libel and won $500,000 in damages. While everything that the writer said was eventually proven true, the laws at the time put the burden of proof on the writer and it was still considered libel.

Truth hurts, even sometimes the one delivering it.

“So have I become your enemy by telling you the truth?”

Galatians 4:16

There are truths we don’t like to hear. There are truths some don’t want us to say. There are truths that people will cover up and ridicule you for telling. Some truths will get you in trouble for knowing them. None of that changes that truth is truth no matter if we like it or don’t want it to be.

Truth can get you in trouble. Truth can cost you popularity. Truth can make you an enemy of the state. Truth can make you an outcast.

Yet, truth is worth it. It will outlast trouble; it will remain when the lies falter. Truth is a rock the though it may be beaten it will hold fast.

Truth may not be easy but it is worth it

Jesus answered, "... Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice."

John 18:37

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Until Midnight

In Acts 20, there is the tragicomic event surrounding a young man by the name of Eutychus. He did what a lot of folks before and after him did, he fell asleep during a sermon. Unfortunately, he was setting in in the third story window at the time. So instead of nodding off and hitting the pew in front of him, he fell to his death. The good news was the apostle Paul was delivering the sermon and had the ability to bring him back. I don’t know, however, if we can judge Eutychus too harshly. The sermon had gone on till midnight. Paul wouldn’t finish it up till daybreak. That’s a long lesson. I know some folks that might want to jump out of a window if I had a lesson that long, yet these Christians wanted to be there to hear Paul. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not pushing for all night sermons but I think we might need to adopt these folks' dedication. They knew that Paul was only in town for a limited time only and they were determined to ...

The Name Written On It

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The Gift You Give Yourself

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Ecclesiastes 12:10

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