Cheap Talk versus True Principles

WHATEVER famines and shortages may afflict the world, there is no scarcity of words. “Talk is cheap,” goes the saying, and it was never more true than now. Diplomats gather from four great powers and consume months trying to decide what to talk about at a more important meeting. In a few weeks’ time the controversial MacArthur hearings run up a staggering transcript more than twice the length of the Bible.

Think of the pyramid of promises compiled in a single political campaign. Remember the cry of World War I, “Make the world safe for democracy!” and the chant of World War II, “Four Freedoms.” Today democracy is more in jeopardy than ever, and totalitarian denial of free speech and worship as well as fear and want stalk the earth. Federations of nations rise and fall as men preach unity and treaties are torn to shreds. Talk of morality fills more time and space than ever, while immorality enjoys its greatest heyday. Plainly, along with the corroding riches the world has heaped up flowery sayings as security for the last days.—Jas. 5:1-5.

Christ Jesus taught: “Stop storing up for yourselves treasures upon the earth, . . . store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, . . . For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Those who spend their lives making, following and believing worldly political promises must certainly have placed their hopes upon such system of things. Yet such ones usually profess to likewise serve God and repeat the “Lord’s prayer” for his coming kingdom. Therefore they must be judged by God’s Word, which they claim to follow. At once Jesus’ warning comes to mind: “You cannot be slaves to God and to Riches.”—Matt. 6:19-21, 24, NW.

So God’s Word rejects the maneuver made popular by politicians, “playing both ends against the middle.” One either is in harmony with God’s purposes or is not. If he is, he will preach them as Jesus did and live up to the requirements of Christianity as Jesus did. Jehovah God will have it known that he accepts no blame for the political, religious, social and moral collapse of this old world.

Jehovah’s Word, the Bible, is a masterpiece of epitome, wasting not a syllable as it unfolds to mankind the universal purposes of the Creator. Likewise, God’s servants ‘let their words be few’ in making personal vows and promises, but speak out of their hearts’ abundance in preaching world-wide God’s kingdom promise. (Eccl. 5:1-6) What they read in God’s Word they believe; hence they follow it in their lives and avoid immorality, empty speeches and deception from false promises.—Matt. 12:34; 1 Cor. 6:9, 10; 2 Tim. 2:16.

Worldly principles and promises, long in words but short in life span, wither and fade. “But the word spoken by Jehovah endures forever.”—1 Pet. 1:25. NW.