To Tell the Truth

With the Presidential election behind us for another four years, we can be spared all the commercials filled with half-truths and lies about the candidates.  Political ad men know that if they can make the public believe a lie as truth, they can sway people’s opinions about anything.  What is really sad is how few people really check the facts concerning all the issues presented to them.  I watched in humor and sadness as a reporter asked individuals what they thought about various issues of the previous election.  One lady commented she didn’t know about what the president was doing about job creation but he gave her a phone.  This is one of many who fail to get the truth about issues and wind up casting ballots for someone based on how they look and the free stuff they will receive.

The fact is: truth hurts--not only in politics, but in everyone’s life.  When fudging on the facts, no one likes to be exposed.  It seems we would rather believe a lie than face the truth.  The problem with that philosophy is that truth will always find a way of coming out.  We can try to color it, hide it, even ignore it, but truth will prevail.  God is a just God and by that aspect of his nature, truth will be made known.  Proverbs 12:22 says, “The Lord detests lying lips, but he delights in men who are truthful.”  Again in 19:5, “A false witness will not go unpunished, and he who pours out lies will not go free.”  I wouldn’t want to be some of those political ad men.

When confronted with the truth most people make excuses, blame someone or something else, or just lie more to cover up their other lies.   My father used to tell me, “Always tell the truth, then you won’t have to remember the lies you told to cover it up.”  Sound advice.  The truth of a situation is just that--truth.  When we lie about something, we have to continue to lie to cover our tracks. Continual lies dig us deeper into situations.  If truth had been admitted at the first, the situation would be on its way to being reconciled.

Spiritual truth is the hardest for people to admit.  I see it every Sunday when God’s truth is presented and people refuse to accept it into their lives.  They continue to live a lie thinking they are fooling those around them.  Time always reveals the reality of the spiritual condition.  Sad to think that just accepting the truth would change their lives eternally. 

As a pastor I’ve often been accused of stepping on people’s toes during a sermon.  That poke is really an admission that God’s truth has touched their life and they don’t really want to deal with it.  Jesus reminds us in John 8:31-32, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”  There is no freedom in lies and deception.

Is your life a life of truth or are we waiting for the lies to expose the real you?

Pastor Jeff