These are the things that you shall do: Speak the truth to one another; render in your gates judgments that are true and make for peace; do not devise evil in your hearts against one another, and love no false oath, for all these things I hate, declares the Lord.
Zechariah 8:16-17
This message from God in prophecy contains two clear expectations from God about proper human behavior in relationship both to God and to one another. God expects people to be committed to truth and to peace. The call to truth comes first: "Speak truth to one another". This would go on to impact societal structure so that judicial pronouncements would be marked by truth. No false oaths would be tolerated. Words would be bound by the truth.
Related to truth is the expectation to make peace. Truth should be expected to make peace. No one should plot to hurt another person if they are committed to God's truth. Those responsible for rendering judgments should be people committed to peace and skilled in weeding out conflict-driven agendas of non-peacemakers.
The root of these commitments to truth and peace is found in the heart. We cannot speak truth if we do not first love and believe it and let it change our own hearts. We cannot make peace if our hearts hold to lies and evil thoughts toward other people. Obeying God and sharing truth and peace in our lives begin at the heart.
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