I read the phrase a little over a week ago, and it has stuck.  I hope I can make sense of it to you today.  Three simple words that have surfaced over and over again in my heart.  “Truth trumps survival.”  It was written in a discussion concerning the early church and their commitment to stand on what they knew to be true about the risen Savior and His gospel.  You see, their stand was not a convenient one but one that came at great cost.  And their loss of property, status, freedom and, even for many, life took a back seat to the truth they embraced in the Truth Himself.  Looking at the early church, I was reminded that we here have it pretty easy today, don’t we?  But that doesn’t change the fact that, even for us in this time and place, truth must trump survival.  If the truth of God means an end to my plans for my life, truth trumps the survival of those plans.  If it affects something on my job, my status in community, or even my relationships, truth trumps survival.  Don’t get me wrong; we must never become abrasive or obnoxious in our stand for truth.  We must not go around seeking to upset everyone’s apple cart just because they don’t agree with us.  But the truth of who we are in Christ and what we believe in His word far outweigh anything else and should have first priority in all things concerning our lives.  Let’s take to heart what the writer of Proverbs says in 23:23: “Buy the truth, and sell it not.”  Or as someone commented on this verse, “Spare no costs for truth’s sake; neither depart from it for any gains.”  Live in light of eternity and with the commitment to embrace the walk where truth trumps survival.