Costly Truth
Jeremiah's life reminds us that the truth is costly. No one has a problem with the truth when it coincides with what we were already thinking. We only have problems with the truth when it makes demands against what we are comfortable in. Jeremiah, like all of the other prophets, was called to speak the truth to God's people. What he see him experiencing is the world's violent response to truth that they do not want to hear.
Repeatedly, Jeremiah is beaten, put in prison, even cast into a cistern and left for dead! What has his crime? Telling people the truth. But taking a step back, one aspect of Jeremiah's story that stands out to me is the cost of not listening to the truth, it is far more costly than anything Jeremiah had to endure.
Jeremiah suffered greatly to faithfully speak the truth. But a far greater suffering was inflicted upon the people of God, for not listening to the truth!
Reading Jeremiah, I find myself drawn to both sides of the story. On one hand, I pray for the courage and intimacy with God, that I would have the boldness to speak the truth in love. On the other hand, I pray that the spirit of the world would not have a foothold in my life. That I would be humble, and have ears to hear the truth of God whenever it comes to me.