Today, let’s begin with a story, one that maybe we have never heard before, one that is so impossible to believe, and one that we question in our brain, yet still believe.

Once upon a time, there was a child, a girl, and this girl was a trustworthy and responsible teenager.  When she grew to be old enough to like a boy, she fell for a boy, one who we will allow to be nameless.  Now this boy was a handsome boy, one not from her hometown, but a boy who moved into the area when he was a young teen.  Maybe there were many who enjoyed his attention, and maybe there were others who would have jumped at the opportunity to actually date this boy; yet, for whatever reason, this boy chose to like and to date this young girl who we will also allow to remain nameless.

Both were athletic.

Both were part of the basketball team.

Both were outgoing.

Both were comfortable, whether in a crowd of one or within a crowd of twenty.

Both shared so many qualities, so naturally, they were drawn to one another.

Both shared so many qualities, so naturally, they were drawn to become a “couple.”

Both shared so many qualities, so naturally, they were drawn together.

Yet, also a truth, both struggled with one character trait that was so difficult to control—–ANGER.

Stroll back to a time of high school, one where truth and lies are told on a daily basis.  As an adult, I have lived within that place (high school) for most of my days, and I have seen how the youth of our society struggle with truthfulness. It is a fact, the young need to fit into this world, and oftentimes, lies must be told in order to “fit in” as we think we should.   We find it so easy to lie to others, lie to ourselves, and to lie to keep the facade we think we so need.  In the world of yesterday, in the world before cell phones and the Internet, we had to open our mouths to create this preferred world; in the world of today, we merely need to pull out our cell phones, open our home screen, and click upon one of our social media platforms.

If social media had been a thing way back when…..yes, back when I was a teenager, then this boy I so liked would not have needed to confront me to my face in order to see my lie.  Nope.  For sure, another so-called friend would have captured my lie on her phone with a photograph and “posted” it for the world to see.  But, I grew up in a time BEFORE cell phones and BEFORE social media, so the night AFTER the school dance, this boy had to drive to my house and confront me face-to-face.

When I saw his truck through my bedroom window and saw him climb from his truck, I knew a decision must be made.  To tell him the truth was sure to lead to our breakup, but to tell him a lie was sure to lead to my dismay.

Three Questions.  So Simple.  TRUTH or LIES.  A DECISION.

**Did you go to the homecoming dance?

**Did you dance?

**Were you with him (the other boy)?

Yes.  Yes.  Yes.

Three words, so simple, so easy.

One choice.

One decision.

One way to avoid the anger, the wrath, the fallout that was sure to come……if she answered truthfully, so instead, she offered up some truth, half-truths, and a full lie when she replied,

“Yes.  Yes, with some girlfriends.  No, she was not (with the other boy).”

A TRUTH……A HALF-TRUTH……&……A LIE.

His face spoke the truth she knew within her heart.  He did not believe her.

Now, to be honest, I must admit that this topic (truth telling and lies) is one that steps all over my toes.  The topic—speaking only truth and never speaking lies.  

As an adult, when my husband teases me and says, “Be careful.  If her mouth is moving, then she may not be telling the truth,” that cuts deep into my being because I do find that I enjoy telling stories; and I do like pretending and leading others on a wild goose chase of thought; and I do enjoy a good teasing.

Truthfully……I struggle.

Is the “telling of stories,” OR is the “pretending and leading others on a wild goose chase of thought,” OR is “a good teasing” FULL-BLOWN LIES we blatantly tell others…….OR…….Are these merely small versions of HALF-TRUTHS……AND…….LIES that we toy with in sport.

When we arise to dress each day, do we readily put on “falsehood” as our favorite garment of clothing, or do we readily reach past the loose-fitting jacket of “falsehood” and instead reach for the tighter sweater of “truth-speaking?”

Loose-fitting Jacket or Tight Sweater.

What are we repeatedly choosing to wear?

What have we worn so long that we now find the garment of clothing most comfortable?

When we are asked questions, do we tell the truth, or do we find that protecting ourselves or another far more advantageous?  QUESTIONS LIKE…….

**How do we feel about that person……really?

**Did we do this action…….really?

**Do we want to help this person…….really?

**Do we love this person unconditionally……..really?

**Are we content to be less and allow another person to be More……really?

Do we find ourselves repeatedly telling something for so many days that the untruth of what we say (over time) becomes a “lie of truth” in our brains?

Is it possible to LIE and to speak the TRUTH at the same time?

Is it probable to know the TRUTH and to speak the LIE at the same time?

No, to LIE is to never speak the TRUTH.

Yes, to know the TRUTH is to never speak the LIE.

In the Bible, the apostle Paul had something to say about speaking falsehood and half-truths.  In fact, he wrote to inform those early Christians living in Ephesus how they should go about walking the True Christian Walk.

“Therefore, laying aside falsehood, speak TRUTH EACH ONE of you WITH HIS NEIGHBOR, for we are members of one another.

BE ANGRY, AND yet DO NOT SIN; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and do not give the devil an opportunity.”

(Ephesians 4: 25-27)

Three Questions.  So Simple.  TRUTH or LIES.  A DECISION.

**Did you go to the homecoming dance?

**Did you dance?

**Were you with him (the other boy)?

Yes.  Yes.  Yes.

Three words, so simple, so easy.

One choice.

One decision.

One way to face his anger and his wrath and the fallout that was sure to come……WHEN she answered truthfully, so she SHOULD HAVE replied,

Yes.  Yes.  Yes.

Because when he left her house that day and her mom questioned her about this boy’s questions, the young teen knew the truth.  She knew she had lied, and I am sure that is exactly how Eve felt that day in the garden, immediately, when she allowed the devil to deceive her, when she took what God had forbidden her to take.  I am sure that Eve knew her sin in her heart, even before God confronted her.   I am also sure that the devil knew if he could only twist the truth enough, then he just might be able to entice Eve enough so she would desire the Half-Truth and not think of it as a Lie.

A simple question…...”Now the serpent was more crafty than any beast which the LORD GOD had made, and he said to the woman, “Indeed, has God said, “You shall not eat from any tree of the garden?”

The woman said to the serpent, “From the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat;

But from the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden, God has said, “You shall not eat from it or touch it, or you will die.”

The serpent said to the woman, “You surely will not die!

For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

(Genesis 3: 1-5)

THE DEVIL’S LIES……SURELY, THEY ARE BIG.

THE DEVIL’S LIES……SURELY, THEY ARE SERIOUS.

THE DEVIL’S LIES……SURELY, WE HAVE A CHOICE, JUST AS EVE.

THE DEVIL’S LIES……ARE FALSEHOOD 100% OF THE TIME.

THE TRUTH OF GOD…….IS TRUTH EVERY SINGLE DAY.

TRULY, GOD IS WHO HE SAYS HE IS……….ALL THE TIME.

Open Mouth…….Speak Truth……..Each Day……Today…….May We!……And May I (Too) As Well!