Truth-Telling: It's a Christian Thing!

Since when did truth telling become a thing of the past?

Since when did lying become so fashionable?

Since when did lying become so normalized in our society?

Since when do Christians get a free pass on lying or turning a deaf ear to it?

What has happened to the voices within our society that hold public figures accountable when they blatantly lie? When they make up stuff? When they stretch the truth until truth is unrecognizable?

I am deeply concerned over the lack of respect that is being given to the truth these days. What really is most unsettling is the lackadaisical attitude so many Christians seem to have regarding truth-telling. It’s as if they just don't care. Why?

Telling the truth just doesn’t seem to matter to folks anymore. If telling a whopper of a lie gets the job done then let’s turn a blind eye and become pragmatists— whatever it take.

There was a time when not telling the truth was considered a sin by Christian people. Whatever happened to that Biblical idea? So now it’s okay for a public figure to lie through his or her teeth and as long as it is not under oath it’s okay (both are wrong). 

Really? We should be good with this?

So what do parents tell their children about how we’ve normalized lying in our society?

 “It’s okay honey, lying is okay if it benefits you?” 

“Go ahead and lie because the more you lie the less people will know that you are lying!”

“Who cares that you are lying, if you can get away with it and not be held accountable it’s perfectly fine. Just lie your pretty little head off”

“Just don’t lie under oath dear, but any other time is acceptable.”

Are these the messages parents want to send to their children? Are these the values we wish to pass on to the next generation waiting to take the reins of leadership in our country and in our churches?

What has happened to us? Have we become so blind to the truth? Even worse, has it disabled our capacity to discern what is true and what is not? 

Have we become numb to truth?

Does truth no longer matter to us? Do we even know what truth is anymore? This should matter to us all.

It matters to me. 

So let’s start pointing out to our children that lying, no matter the reason or who does it, is unacceptable and should never be acceptable behavior—not to mention that it is also unethical.

Let’s raise the bar of our expectations for those who sit in positions of leadership and demand the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. I would expect nothing less and neither should you. Neither should any of us!

Jesus once said that we Christians would know the truth and the truth would free us up to live as real human beings. The problem is less and less people seem to be able to recognize the truth anymore.

It’s so disheartening.

What happens to the fabric of our society when people who claim to follow Jesus don’t seem to care about truth  anymore?

This is not a liberal or conservative issue. This is not a partisan issue. It’s not even a political issue. It’s a Christian issue. If you are a Christian, then truth becomes who you are because you follow the One who self-identifies as the "Truth!” You did read that in John’s Gospel didn’t you? If not then check it out ((John 14:6).

So how about some truth! We will all feel a lot better about ourselves if we insist on the proclamation and preservation of truth. 

It’s a Christian thing you know.