I’m sure we’re all familiar with the phrase “belt up”. In a physical sense, to “belt up” protects us from injury, loss, lack of dignity, but it does the same in the spiritual realm.
Paul reminds us in Ephesians 6… Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist.
Because truth holds everything together, let me ask you if your belt is on.
It’s significant and interesting that the first piece of armour Paul mentions is the belt of truth. In Roman times the belt wouldn’t have looked like our belts but connected to hold a lot of the other pieces of armour together. It’s a very significant piece of armoury both physically and spiritually. Just as a belt is worn close to the body, we should hold God’s truth close to us, allowing it to surround us because when we remain in His Word we are able to distinguish the true from the untrue.
The belt of truth enables us to
- Wear what is true – we can wear truth like a belt and be clothed with God’s affirmation and values.
- Think what is true – not being fooled into wrong thinking and attitudes. The best way to increase your ability to discern truth is to apply God’s Word to your life. Putting on the belt of truth secures your beliefs, so you are stable and not easily influenced
- Speak what is true – I’ve never met a single person who doesn’t struggle with truthfulness, gossip or false flattery at some time or other.
- Live out what is true – how are we demonstrating truth in our actions and or decisions?
Truth holds everything together. Acts 5 reminds us of that. The story of Ananias and Sapphira is not a fun one! Ananias and Sapphira were a married couple who sold their land and gave some the proceeds to the disciples – only they lied, telling Peter that it was the entire amount when actually they’d held back some for themselves. It wasn’t the holding back that was wrong, but their lying attempt to look as though they’d given all. When Peter confronted them, they died!
Our integrity and honesty as leaders matters. It matters to God, it matters in our leadership and it matters to the people and the projects we lead.
One of the most famous things Jesus said was captured by John in John 14:6. Jesus said “I am the way the truth and the life”
How do we live truthfully?
We open our hearts to God’s healing. We shut our mouths to words of deceit, damage and destruction. We open our lives to Jesus Christ and ask for His forgiveness, His freedom, His future to reign in us. That we will know His truth – and His truth will set us free.
Why not join with me in praying this prayer as we seek to live and lead in truth:
May the words of my mouth
and the meditation of my heart
be pleasing to you,
O Lord
(Psalm 19:14)
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Amy Summerfield
Amy Summerfield is CEO of Kyria, a leadership network to champion empower and release women into their spheres of influence (kyrianetwork.com), and Head of Development at Skylark International, a network of churches, charities and organisations. From 2015-2020 Amy was senior pastor of Connect Church, Paisley, Scotland. Amy is the co-founder of Pulse Children’s and Youth Ministries. She is a regular conference speaker for women's and leadership conferences. Recently married, Amy moved to live in Hitchin with her husband Matt who leads Zeo Church. She enjoys cooking, baking, dog walking and tea drinking! When not travelling for ministry, she loves spending time in Derbyshire where she grew up.
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