who will speak up?

One of my favorite fairy tales is “The Emperor’s New Clothes.” You remember, I’m sure…

… the vain, egotistical emperor who is duped by a traveling salesman to buy this fabulous fabric for some new apparel… fabulous for its color, its feel, oh yes, but even more so because the fabric can only be seen by those who are wise. It would remain invisible to all those who were too ignorant to see it.

Now the salesman, knowing the character of the king… his pride, his conceit… his vanity… knew he would make the sale and that the emperor would wear his new clothes in all his assumed dignity and love of showmanship. After all, how could he admit that he could not see the fabric… to admit to himself, to the salesman, to any others that this was a hoax?

So indeed, he purchased the fabric and ordered his seamstress to make his lavish garment. And then to herald his first appearance in his new garb, he ordered a parade for all to “see” him in his new finery.

Of course, all the subjects came to see the strutting emperor. Imagine their reaction. What a sight to behold! But all remained silent. Why, who would acknowledge the fakery… to themselves, to others, to the emperor?

EXCEPT… a child… an innocent child not yet contaminated by pride or the opinions of others… proclaimed loudly for all to hear…” WHY THE EMPEROR ISN’T WEARING ANYTHING!”

Now I am not suggesting that we are surrounded by nude “emperors.” But I do wonder about all the “blindness” in our culture…

… our unwillingness to advocate for truth in the face of rampant relativism…
… our “anything goes” mentality…
… our no boundaries in what is acceptable or appropriate.

Who will raise a voice and say, “Really?”

“Stop!”

“That’s wrong!”

“No more!”

“It’s called sin!”?

Is it only the innocent not yet tainted by our cultural climate, those not yet intimidated by a what-will-others-think mentality, those not fearful of rejection for the advocacy of truth?

Where are the voices of wisdom?

Where are the grown-ups who really know that the “emperor” really isn’t wearing anything?

The question for us all is, “Who will speak up for truth?”

Respectfully…
DDL

 

[Photo by Jez Timms on Unsplash]