Children say that people are hung sometimes for speaking the

The words of Joan of Arc—“Children say that people are hung sometimes for speaking the truth”—carry the innocence of a child and the fire of a prophet. Uttered by a young woman who herself would be condemned and executed for the convictions she held, these words resound like an eternal warning: truth is not always welcomed with open arms. Often it is feared, resisted, even punished. Joan saw with clarity that those who speak boldly may face the wrath of power, for truth pierces illusions and unsettles the comfortable lies upon which authority often rests.

To call truth dangerous may seem strange, yet history reveals it often to be so. For truth is not only a revelation of what is—it is also a sword that exposes corruption, injustice, and deceit. Those who benefit from falsehood and oppression tremble when truth is spoken aloud. And so, they seek to silence the truth-teller, to discredit, imprison, or even execute them. Joan herself, guided by visions and conviction, dared to speak of divine command, daring to lead armies and inspire a nation. For this, her enemies branded her a heretic, and though her body was burned, her truth endured beyond the flames.

The ancients also saw this fate. Socrates, the philosopher of Athens, was condemned to drink hemlock for corrupting the youth, though his only crime was the relentless pursuit of truth. Like Joan, he disturbed the false securities of his time, asking questions that rulers feared. He, too, was “hung” in spirit for daring to seek what is real rather than bowing to the comfort of convention. Thus, Joan’s words echo across centuries: to speak truth is to risk the wrath of men who would rather live in lies.

History is filled with such witnesses. Consider Martin Luther King, Jr., who declared the truth of equality in a land that resisted it. His words, grounded in justice, unsettled the comfortable order of segregation. He was imprisoned, threatened, and finally killed for the truth he proclaimed. Yet, like Joan, his death did not end his truth—it magnified it. For truth cannot be buried; it rises, again and again, through the voices of the courageous.

Yet Joan’s words carry not only tragedy, but also deep encouragement. If even children know that people may be punished for truth, then let us not be naïve. Let us instead be brave. To know that truth is costly is to prepare the heart for sacrifice. To love truth enough to suffer for it is to live with nobility. Those who cling to lies may enjoy comfort for a season, but their legacies crumble. Those who die for truth are remembered as eternal.

The lesson is clear: do not shrink from truth because it is dangerous. Yes, it may cost you favor, position, or even life itself. But to live without truth is a worse death, a slow decay of the soul. To live with truth, even under threat, is to stand in the company of the great and the righteous. Be wise, be courageous, and when truth calls you to speak, do not silence her voice for fear of punishment.

Therefore, O seeker, remember: truth has its price, but falsehood has a greater one. Those who punish truth cannot kill it, for it lives on beyond the grave, while lies perish with the liars. Walk, then, in truth with courage, even if the path is steep. And if you suffer for it, count yourself in the company of Joan, of Socrates, of prophets and heroes whose light shines still. For though the world may hang the truth-teller, the heavens themselves honor them forever.