Just the Facts, Ma'am

I was watching a stream recently where a major kerfuffle was being discussed. In the middle of all the chaos, someone mentioned that having an opinion does not change the facts. As soon as I heard it, the words immediately resonated with me. So much so that I stopped my WalkFit exercise routine and quickly typed up a few notes before I forgot the line completely. It was one of those moments where one line sparked a myriad of thoughts in my mind. I knew I had to write a post about opinions and facts—I just was not sure the direction it was going to go in or if I had enough to say about it.

"The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding." — Proverbs 4:7

You can have an opinion about the facts, but your opinion cannot replace the facts. Facts stand alone, whether you agree with them or not. Your personal feelings about the facts do not change their existence. Facts are objective. They do not shift because you like them, dislike them, agree with them, or wish they were different. Your emotions, no matter how intense, cannot bend reality. You might think the facts are unfair, upsetting, or even unbelievable, but the facts remain the facts.

“We can do nothing against the truth, but only for the truth.” — 2 Corinthians 13:8

It is natural for people to use logic, intuition, and speculation to try to understand a situation. Many people confuse the strength of their opinion with the strength of their position. You may think that because you have reasoned through something with logic, or because your intuition tells you something feels right, that it becomes a fact. It does not. Logic and intuition are tools you use to form judgments, but they are not guarantees of truth. You must understand that until your logic or your intuition is verified by real evidence, they remain possibilities, not facts.

“The way of fools seems right to them, but the wise listen to advice.” — Proverbs 12:15

People often speculate when they do not have all the information. They guess. They theorize. They fill in the blanks with what seems reasonable to them. There is nothing inherently wrong with speculation if you recognize it for what it is: an idea, a theory, a guess. It becomes a problem when you begin to treat speculation as fact. The issue becomes even greater when others unknowingly accept your speculation as fact.

“The simple believe anything, but the prudent give thought to their steps.” — Proverbs 14:1

Everyone brings their own experiences and perspectives when looking at a situation. You may feel very strongly that your interpretation is correct. You may even have strong logical reasons for why you think you are right. It may happen because you paid close attention. It may happen because you recognized patterns. It may even happen by chance. Still, feeling certain does not make something factual. Evidence is what confirms a fact, not personal certainty.

“Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment.” — John 7:24

Sometimes, your theory will be proven correct. Sometimes, you will find out that you understood the situation accurately before all the facts came out. That can happen. But it does not change the truth that until there was proof, your theory was still a theory. That moment of being proven right after the fact does not change the truth that your idea was not a fact until it was verified. Being right by accident or being right through intuition does not mean you can skip the step where something becomes confirmed.

“The one who states his case first seems right, until the other comes and examines him.” — Proverbs 18:17

Sometimes, people confuse believing something deeply with something actually being true. It is important for you to step back and ask yourself if what you believe has been proven, or if it is still just a belief. Facts deserve respect, even if they challenge your ideas. Ignoring facts in favor of personal narratives does not make your narrative stronger; it just distances you from reality.

“Test all things; hold fast what is good.” — 1 Thessalonians 5:21

You must be disciplined in how you handle facts and opinions. Facts are stubborn. They do not need your approval. You cannot edit reality based on what you would prefer to believe. You cannot force other people to accept your interpretation of a situation if you do not have the facts to support it. If you want to be honest with yourself and with others, you must keep a clear line between what is proven and what is assumed.

“An honest witness does not deceive, but a false witness pours out lies.” — Proverbs 14:5

If you want to be a person who respects truth, you need to accept that not everything you believe will be accurate. Some of your strongest feelings will turn out to be wrong. Some of your most logical arguments will not hold up under real scrutiny. Some of your guesses will be completely off base. That does not make you foolish. It makes you human. What matters is whether you are willing to separate what you think from what you know.

“The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?” — Jeremiah 17:9

A healthy mind knows how to hold both things at once: a strong belief in something, and an understanding that belief is not evidence. A healthy mind welcomes evidence, even if it proves your personal assumptions wrong. You are not weaker for adjusting your view when faced with facts. You are wiser. You are more trustworthy. If you cannot distinguish between your beliefs and the facts, then you are not in a position of strength, no matter how forcefully you present yourself. No matter how convincing you are, no matter how passionate you are, truth will either confirm you or expose you.

“Whoever heeds life-giving correction will be at home among the wise.” — Proverbs 15:31

The more you discipline yourself in this area, the more trustworthy you become. If you are careful to say, "This is my opinion," when you do not have the facts, you show integrity. If you are willing to admit, "I do not know," when evidence is missing, you show wisdom. People who care more about protecting their ego than protecting the truth are dangerous. They are willing to bend reality to protect their pride.

“Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but whoever takes crooked paths will be found out.” — Proverbs 10:9

When you communicate with others, especially about important matters, you carry a responsibility. You are influencing others with your words. If you declare something as fact without having proof, you risk misleading people. Even if you are sincere, even if you mean well, the harm is real. Being honest about what you know and what you do not know is an act of respect toward your audience and toward the truth itself.

“I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak.” — Matthew 12:36

Facts are not subject to personal preference. They do not become true because you argued well. They do not disappear because you found them uncomfortable. They are not influenced by how much you want them to change. If you want to be someone who values reality, you must be prepared to let go of personal biases when they clash with the evidence. You can say, "I believe this is true." You can say, "Based on what I see, this seems likely." You can say, "I have a theory." But you must not say, "This is a fact," or even present it as a fact, unless you have the evidence to back it up.

“Buy the truth and do not sell it—wisdom, instruction and insight as well.” — Proverbs 23:23

There will be times when you feel deeply invested in a theory or a belief. You may have built your reputation, your emotions, or your identity around it. When facts surface that contradict what you believe, you will be tempted to fight the facts instead of facing them. That is a test of character. If you value truth, you will adjust your beliefs to match reality, not try to force reality to match your beliefs.

“Do not add to what I command you and do not subtract from it, but keep the commands of the Lord your God that I give you.” — Deuteronomy 4:2

In a world where people are quick to argue, quick to assume, and quick to defend their own version of reality, you can be someone who stands apart. You can be someone who takes the time to ask, "Is this a fact or is this just what I think?" You can be someone who waits for the evidence before drawing hard conclusions. You can be someone who values truth more than winning an argument. Facts will not always be easy. They will not always be what you hoped. But they will always be what actually is.

“Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.” — James 1:19

Accepting that gives you a strong foundation. It protects you from building your life on illusions. It makes you reliable, honest, and consistent. You will not be easily shaken by trends, emotions, or popular opinions. You will be anchored by reality itself. Other people will know that they can trust you, not because you are always right, but because you are committed to being honest about what you know and what you do not know. The truth is powerful enough to stand on its own. Be someone who stands with it.

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.” — Matthew 7:24