The Daily: Tuesday July 29th, 2025

Read Jeremiah 20:7-9 (NRSV, The Message)

...within me there is something like a burning fire shut up in my bones;
I am weary with holding it in, and I cannot.          Jeremiah 20:9

Our relationships exist in two distinct spheres: personal and public. Personal relationships—with family, friends, and colleagues—are largely voluntary and intimate. Public relationships—with institutions, systems, and governments—are more distant yet profoundly impact our lives. In both spheres, our words matter. But speaking truth in public spaces requires particular courage. When we witness injustice, suffering, or moral failure in our communities and world, silence is not neutrality—it's complicity. Speaking up becomes not just an option but a moral imperative. This doesn't mean we should speak carelessly or without wisdom. Public truth-telling requires discernment about timing, tone, and context. But when the fire of righteous indignation burns within us—when we cannot remain silent about children suffering, rights being violated, or vulnerable people being exploited—we must find appropriate ways to give voice to that fire. Speaking truth in public isn't about partisan politics but about moral clarity. It's about naming reality as it is, not as we wish it to be. When we do this with both courage and compassion, we participate in God's work of bringing light to darkness.

"Calling things what they are isn't complaint. It's our calling."     - Jason

Reflection Question
What injustice or suffering in our world stirs a fire in your bones that needs expression, and how might you speak truth about it in a way that leads toward healing?


Prayer
God of justice and mercy, give me courage to speak truth when silence would be easier. Help me discern when and how to use my voice in public spaces. May my words be neither reckless nor timid, but filled with both conviction and compassion. Amen.