Refreshing Truth!

There is no doubt in my mind that telling the truth can be refreshing!  In March we some mail addressed to the church telling us that our Website (OSLTF.ORG) would be “expiring” at the end of the month.  We were given options of 2, 3 and (best deal) 5 years, blah, blah, blah.  Well, it looked official yet we thought we had purchased 10 years with our “server.”  Then, when we went to check with our server we (finally got through) and were told by “live people” two different stories.  Yes, we were still covered by them and no, we weren’t.  It was truly refreshing to finally get things figured out! This company that sent us the “notification” was a scam.  (… and we’re going to report them to the Better Business Bureau, too!)

Surprised?  I hardly think so.  Lying is a huge part of our world.  My wife and I  watch “Keeping Up Appearances.”  In this British sitcom, Hyacinth Bucket (which she insists is pronounced “Bouquet”) lies continually throughout the show in order to “keep up appearances.”  She desperately wants to be seen as an “important” person.  It becomes painfully clear that she would make the whole world breathe a lot easier if she would stop pretending!  Though the show’s hyperbole is humorous, getting scammed is not.  Stolen identities, “predators on-line,” false promises in business, gossip, pornography, cheating in school, affairs in marriages, addictions and cover-ups … all are founded upon lies.  They are the opposite of refreshing life … God’s intention for us all!

But we’re not left clueless!  Jesus identified the devil as “The Father of Lies.”  We, as followers of Christ and children of God the Father are called to be different! 

Humility, compassion, gentleness, a gracious spirit … all of these come from a NEW Spirit within that doesn’t have to be right or in control.  Here we grow, spiritually.  Jesus said, “You shall know the truth and the truth will set you free.” He didn’t say we DID know the truth!  So often I get into trouble by making assumptions.  Do you?  Wouldn’t it be refreshing to live more in the truth? 

And how might that happen?  Well, what if we were to practice an attitude of encouraging the truth by seeing it?  We could, for example, practice using phrases like:

• Can we talk about this?
• No, that’s not quite what I’m trying to say.  Can I try again?
• Here’s what I heard you say.
• Do you understand what I’m trying to say?
• We don’t have to agree.  That’s O.K., isn’t it?
• I need to hear your side of things! (God, help me to keep my mouth shut long enough to do that!).

Fortunately, there are those around us who are good models of being truthful.  God can help us become more truthful, too!  Our world needs the truth about a lot of things: truth in advertising, truth in religion and politics … and, yes! … truth from our own mouths and hearts! 

This summer, let’s be part of the refreshment?  Let’s practice being truly alive!
 

 Pastor Dan