To lovers of the truth, nothing can be put before God and hope in

"To lovers of the truth, nothing can be put before God and hope in Him." — These words from Saint Basil, one of the great Church Fathers of the early Christian Church, speak with the fire of a soul utterly committed to the highest truth. They remind us that for those who are deeply in love with truth, there is nothing more sacred, nothing more precious, than the relationship with God. When we truly seek the truth, we come to realize that God is not a mere figure to be worshiped, but the very source of all truth, the very foundation of all hope. To put anything before Him — wealth, fame, personal desires — is to place falsehoods above truth.

In the wisdom of the ancients, there was always a recognition that to love the truth was to love God. The great Greek philosophers, such as Plato and Socrates, spoke of the pursuit of truth as the highest form of wisdom. For them, the search for truth was a divine calling, one that transcended the physical world and led the soul towards the eternal. Plato, in his Republic, describes the philosopher as one who seeks the divine, the unchanging truth, and who finds in this pursuit the deepest fulfillment. Saint Basil echoed this ancient sentiment, teaching that true lovers of truth would not be distracted by the illusions of the world, but would always place their hope and their devotion in God alone, who is the ultimate truth.

Consider the life of Socrates, whose relentless pursuit of truth led him to challenge the conventional beliefs of his time. He cared not for the accolades of the powerful or the comforts of wealth, but only for the pursuit of wisdom and the truth of the divine order. In his final moments, when faced with death, Socrates remained resolute in his belief that the soul’s connection to truth transcended all earthly concerns. He placed his hope in the divine, showing that the love of truth — and by extension, the love of God — is greater than life itself. Socrates understood that to love truth is to place God above all else, even life, for in God’s truth lies eternal hope.

Saint Basil, whose own life was one of deep prayer and service to the Church, saw the love of God and the love of truth as inseparable. His own writings on the Holy Trinity and the divine nature of Christ reflect a life lived in constant communion with the truth of God’s presence. Saint Basil’s teaching invites us to consider our own lives: do we place our hope in the things of this world, in material success or fleeting recognition, or do we place it in God, who is eternal and unchanging? To the lovers of truth, the answer is clear — to put God first is to place the highest truth above all else.

The lesson that Saint Basil imparts is both simple and profound: truth is not just an abstract idea or philosophical pursuit; it is a relationship with the Divine, one that requires faith, hope, and devotion. Those who love the truth will not be swayed by worldly temptations or false ideologies. Their hearts are anchored in the firm foundation of God’s Word and the hope that it offers. The truth of God’s love is unshakable, and when we place our hope in Him, we align ourselves with the eternal and the divine. There is nothing that can compare to the peace and fulfillment found in this love.

Consider the example of Saint Francis of Assisi, who, in the fullness of his life, chose to place his hope in God alone, abandoning the material wealth he once sought. Francis lived as a lover of truth, his heart so focused on God’s love that he saw all creation as a reflection of the divine. His life was a testament to hope in God above all earthly things, and in this choice, he found true peace and fulfillment. Like Saint Basil, Francis understood that when one places God at the center, everything else falls into its proper place. The truth of God is the ultimate reality, and to seek it above all else is to live a life of purpose.

So, what are we to take from this teaching? Hope in God is not simply an intellectual exercise, nor is it a passive belief. It is an active, living trust that permeates our thoughts, actions, and desires. It is a surrender of all that is temporary and fleeting to focus on the eternal truth of God. To love God and truth is to live each day as a reflection of that love — placing the Divine first, seeking His guidance in every moment, and serving His will in every action. It is to remember that truth is not a set of facts, but a relationship with the living God who is the source of all hope and life.

Therefore, let us ask ourselves: are we truly lovers of truth? Do we place God above all else, or are we swayed by the distractions and temptations of this world? Saint Basil’s words challenge us to look inward and align ourselves with the Divine. The most precious gift we can give to ourselves and the world is to place God first — to place our hope in the truth of His eternal love, and in doing so, to find the peace that surpasses all understanding. Truth is not found in the fleeting things of this world, but in the unshakable foundation of God’s love. Let us, then, live as true lovers of truth, and in doing so, be the vessels of divine light in a world that so desperately needs it.