Jesus makes honest men and women out of liars.
Love isn't manipulative, punitive, deceptive. Love isn't easy and free and furtive at the same time. Love doesn't speak cruelly; it does not insinuate and suggest sinister motives directed at the innocent. Love isn't making others do what we want them to do, because it works into our scheming, plotting, and planning. Love isn't a strong arm that bends and twists wrists and necks. Love isn't ugly, crude, or lewd; it does not injure with insults. Love does not shockingly blind side and surprise, or cause sucker punch vexation. Love, isn't a pleasant sweet talking monster, in disguise.
As a Christian, my greatest delight is in knowing my Lord as Truth. When truth is the standard you and I live by, trust not only develops, relationship is built upon it, as a foundational piece.
During a conversation with a close friend, I had a revelation about my desire to live life based solely on truth. I observed this about myself: I smoke out liars from their hiding places. I realize how repulsed I am when told lies, either to myself by myself, or told to me by another. This has been my way, since I was very young. My plea as a child was, Truth God, please, only the truth. Some facts are hard to face, and sugar coating a fact to make it more palpable, can ease suffering, for a time. If many facts are coated in saccharin sweetness, to ease the pain of facing truth, lying will become a way of life, making differentiating between truth and lies, almost impossible. I know a liar that attempts to masterfully deceive, and had some success in her younger years with her bait and switch techniques, but this person can't fool me anymore, or anyone else for that matter: she tricks only herself. She is a self-contained, self-absorbed unit of misery, because no one wants to be in relationship with a liar. This leads me to my point of writing:
If you love Jesus, you loathe lying and ultimately, you won't be able to tolerate the company of liars (including your own company!), if you are inclined toward exaggeration and machinations. How can you trust yourself or enjoy your alone time, as a deceiver, dear reader? Jesus is Truth, and embracing him means letting go of all self, and other, deception. One of my favourite bits of scripture is this reminder:
John 8:32
And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free
I want to know truth, and be made free, but as I am indicating, not everyone feels the same way, or wants to live in the Way of Truth. Swapping out facts in the mind and then speaking them out loud, doesn't change a thing. The truth cannot be downgraded to semi-honesty, or partial validity, and kinda-sorta-somewhere-near verity. Verity, is fundamentally important, and must not be tampered with ... unless of course, a person just plain old prefers fabrication, as a form of mental and other manipulation.
When Jesus spoke, people were either convicted of their sneaky and sinful ways, or they were miffed for having him suggest they were anywhere near wrong, in the ways they conducted their lives. Nothing has changed since he walked amongst humans: we don't like being told we are liars, sinners, thieves, deceivers, and self-serving, and yet, when we recognize this is what puts a wedge between us and God, us and others we say we love, it acts as a catalyst for change, or at least, I think it should ... What do you think, dear reader?
I am inclined to apologize for this piece of writing because of what may be considered, a harsh tone, but I will not, for this reason: liars have destructive tendencies, and I feel compelled to address the issue. We are all very capable of lying, and have each one of us, suffered consequences for our own self and other deceptions. I am not attacking humans, I am going for the throat of Lie, as an entity; I want to choke it to death so that it cannot speak, and ruin relationships. Honesty, is truly and forever, the best policy, and dear one, I know this, because Truth is Jesus Christ!
As always, I recommend Bible reading. There is nothing like The Bible to help you and I see, how, when, and why, we deviate from truth telling. Humans have a propensity to dodge uncomfortable truth because we want to continue doing what feels good, but this is not how God wants us to live. He wants us to come clean, be cleansed in the sin free blood of the lamb of God, and dedicate our days to following in the Saviours sacred footsteps.
If society cumulatively committed to biblical truth, liars would have no place to hide; Love would prevail, and souls would be saved ... that, is the hope, and my perpetual prayer.
Lies are empty nothing burgers: no substance, nothing to hold on to, empty of soul satisfying calories; useless as malefactors. Perhaps you see them the same way, and if not, might I suggest you consider changing your mind?
Nothing burgers, bought and sold at a vender near you. Are you paying the ultimate price, by filling up on frivolous fomenting fraud?
That last question was a fun one to formulate: I sure do hope you see Truth as the only possibility, to free your mind and spirit, from deceitfully hellish lies.
Acts 17:28
For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring
As a daughter of the living God, I want to be like my Father in heaven. Who, pray tell, would you like to emulate?
