Thursday 13 January 2011

NaomiRuthNaomiRuth

"Naomi Ruth, Naomi Ruth, grow up big and tell the truth"


My dad used to say this when I was little. A short rhyme that has stuck with me ever since.


"Grow up big"
Why my dad chose to say "grow up big" is beyond me.
Did he want me to grow up fat? Did he want me to grow up tall? Or maybe big in character? Was I to 'fill a room' when I entered it? Or was it simply to make the rhyme?


I guess it probably was added with the intention to make the rhyme. I, however, have used it in terms of character. Not to be 'small' and insignificant, but to be 'big', to be noticed, to be important. Not to hide away when I have something to share, not to cower in conflict, not to allow myself to be looked over.


"Tell the truth"
This, quite simply, reminds me of the importance to be truthful. It seems to have been added/included as the main focus point. So why the emphasis on truth?


Truth not Lies
When thinking about truth, lying comes to mind. The damage that can be done when lies are spoken. I think about English lessons and the idea of a 'web of lies'.
"O' what a tangled web we weave,
when first we practice to deceive"
(Sir Walter Scott)
A quote I'm sure we have all come across at least once in our lives; in English lessons, in reading, in a film, in a song.
The damage that can be done by lies is immense; one small word spoken, one small action made, can have major repercussions. For example, thinking about the financial scandals in government - one seemingly small lie, one major outcome.


Honour
To be truthful is to be honourable.
Worthy of respect.
Is respect not something we all long for?
'Respect my privacy'. 'Respect my wishes'.
What makes someone worthy of respect?
Is not truthfulness a respectful virtue?
How much more do we want to be honoured?


'I am the truth'
Maybe "tell the truth" was spoken in a sense of prophetic language.
Jesus says "I am the way, the truth and the life" (John 14:6)
Did my dad add this in the hope that I would share the good news of Jesus Christ?
The Truth that Jesus is, is the only truth. Therefore is it not the Truth that should be spoken.
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7 comments:

  1. This is so awesome and a real privilege to share in your thoughts.
    Please keep sharing in this blog.

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  2. Don't you think white lies are sometimes a good thing? Don't you think that as society as moved on, we have to lie in order for the world to go round?

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  3. I think they may have their 'uses' but I don't think they are inherently a 'good thing'. They may help to make the 'world go round', but for what purpose and for whom? Is that purpose necessarily right?

    Even with the idea of 'we have to lie in order for the world to go round' raises issues with myself. If this is the case, then we are in a broken place, why should we 'need' to lie to progress? Surely, if we want to progress in a sense of 'bettering' ourselves, truthfulness is a better quality/virtue to posses. To 'need' to bend the truth to progress is a sad notion.

    Do you have a particular example? It may be easier to talk about specifics?

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  4. So you wanna be a christian "human rights" writer? I guess it's difference of opinion, but in reality, there will never be a world here where people will tell the truth. Also, how does "grow up big" and the importance to not hide away, as you said, remind you of to not lie.. From your point of view, from what your dad says, how did you come to the decision that what he meant was to not lie.. Have you asked him? x

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  5. Well yes, I do want to be a Christian involved in human rights. I do see that in our society 'white lies' may be necessary to get around, but I guess it saddens me that we are at a place where that is necessary. A lie always has a consequence. But as you say, it is a matter of opinion.

    In regards to telling the truth in this post, it's the part where my dad said 'tell the truth'(the last part) that I have explored as not lying. Maybe it wasn't clear, sorry about that. I explore 'grow up big' with the idea of not hiding away. I haven't asked my dad what it meant, though I definitely will, as I guess it was my exploration of the quote, how I have taken it on. Also, I know my dad very well and I guess his personality is in both the quote and the way I have perceived it.

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  6. Cool:D keep writing then! Will all your posts be on human rights? or will you expand?xx

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