When my children were small, right from the get go, I told them that I could take most anything except lying. They could break the best crystal goblet, and they did, and I forgave them. They could crash the car, and they did, and I forgave that. But whatever you do, don’t, I say it again, Don’t Lie to Me! And they did. But, to their credit, not often. Oh, yes, I forgave them. Well almost.
Just over a year ago, a new reality program came on tv. Don’t know how long it lasted but . . . a contestant was asked a number of incrimination questions to which he or she would have to answer yes or no. All this while strapped to a lie detector. If you knew about it or watched while passing, you will remember it revealed too many things those people never wanted to tell. I believed some of them would be headed for divorce court within hours.
All of us have secrets don't we? All of us have things in our lives and our past we wish no one will ever find out. As in the show, we also have little white lies we tell. You know the ones, “I don’t mind Aunt Bessie’s smothering hugs.” It’s interesting to hear the way they are convicted of these lies. The host of the show would say, “Deception.” I looked up the definition just to have it clear in my mind. Deception is the act of convincing another person to believe information that is not true, or not the whole truth as in certain types of half-truths.
This got me to thinking. I wonder if people tell the truth about what they believe to be true. Oh, there are easy questions. “Do you believe that going to church does something positive for you?” Or, how about, “Can you love everyone?” and that is against, “Do you love everyone at church?” You answer that one and get deception and you can have people showing up on Sunday and asking if they are the one you can’t love. As if they didn’t know before hand.
Here is something else I thought about. What would the detector tell us if say, Billy Graham or Mother Teresa was to take that test? What would it tell us when they would be asked, “Is Jesus Christ the Son of the living God?” What about answering the questions, “Do you believe that Christ died, rose and stands before God in your place paying the punishment for your sins?” And what about, “Is the bible true in its original autographs and that it is there to lead us in moral truth and guidance for all areas of life?” I not only believe they would answer yes to these questions but the host would say, "TRUE!"
But more importantly, what would the test tell us about you and me and what you believe? What would it say about what you hold true in your heart? Would you be convicted of being a Christ follower by the evidence and . . .
Something to think about.
Rob