‘“Run up and down every street in Jerusalem’ says the Lord. ‘Look high and low; send throughout the city!  If you can find even one person who is just and honest, I will not destroy the city. Even when they are under oath . . . they all tell lies’”—Jeremiah 5:1-2, NLT.

The United States military advertises it is looking or “A Few Good Men.”  Diogenes the cynic in 350 B.C. took a lighted candle in the daylight through the streets of Athens “looking for an honest man.”  God told Jeremiah to search everywhere in Jerusalem to find one honest man.  If Jeremiah could find just one, God promised to spare the city from judgment.

Jeremiah was commanded to hurry—run—because judgment was coming.  He was also told to look everywhere, in the houses and open places.  God told him to be thorough, “every street.”  God knew before he started that Jeremiah wouldn’t find one honest man.  Why?  Because “all men are liars” (Ps. 116:11). 

 

Jeremiah could have searched everywhere and not found an honest man because, “there is not a righteous man on earth who does what is right and never sins” (Eccl. 7:20).  Not only are all men sinners, every part of their life has been corrupted by sin.  First their mind, “none who  understand” (Rom. 3:11).  Second,, sin has controlled their emotions, “With their tongues they have practiced deceit” (Rom. 3:13).  Third, their will is corrupted, “None seek after God” (Rom. 3:11).  The total personality is guided by sin.  Lord, indwell my personality and make me honest. 

 

Jeremiah searched for an honest man among the poor (Jer. 5:4) but didn’t find one.  Most think poor people are honest because they have no money, reputation or position to hide.  But hard times don’t make them honest, it just makes them hard.  “They have made their faces harder than rock; they have refused to return” (Jer. 5:3).  Lord, soften me to the truth.

Jeremiah next searched for an honest man among those of position (Jer. 5:5).  He thought the leaders would be honest because they have gotten what they want in life.  But Jeremiah found “these have altogether broken the yoke and burst the bonds” (Jer. 5:5).  Lord, keep me honest when I reach leadership positions.

 

Jeremiah next searched for an honest person among the young and children.  Again, many think the young are honest because they have not yet learned to lie.  Also, the young have not lived long enough to have anything to lie about.  But Jeremiah didn’t find honesty there because children are born with a sinful nature.  They don’t learn to lie, it’s natural to lie.  When you see one child hit another and ask, “Why did you hit him?’, they’ll lie and tell you, “I didn’t hit him.”  Lord give me victory over my inborn sinful nature.

 

The next group was the preachers or ministers.  Most of us expect ministers not to lie because they are men of God.  But Jeremiah didn’t find his honest man among the preachers.  He concluded, “The prophets are filled with hot air, and the Word of God is not in them” (Jer. 5:13, Author’s Translation).  Lord, forgive preachers.

 

In Jeremiah’s time, he was looking for one honest man.  The fact Jeremiah couldn’t find one was God’s way of telling Israel they had all forsaken Him and broken the law and gone after false gods.  Because Jeremiah couldn’t find one honest man God was justified to punish the nation.  Today, God is still looking for an honest and just man (and woman).  God is looking for someone to serve Him, someone He can trust.  Lord, I will be honest and just.

 

Honesty begins and flows from the presence of God.  In His presence, you become honest when you realize nothing is hidden from God; you confess . . . you repent . . . you seek forgiveness.  Because encountering sin is embarrassing and stressful, you don’t want to go through that agony again.  After you leave the presence of God, you determine to live honestly because you know you’ll come back to God’s presence again.  Lord, forgive every lie.

 

But the presence of God is more than any event or a place.  After you leave the Quiet Time, God goes with you, Jesus lives in your heart.  Since He is the truth (John 14:6), let him tell the truth through you.  Yield!  Let Jesus in your heart control your words.  Let the honesty of Jesus become your honesty.  Lord, I yield.

Today’s Reading:  Jeremiah 5