Searching for Truth
A young girl, 7 years, was given permission to go visit with her friend, Betty Creech in 1936. The permission was given with the stipulation that the young girl return home by 5 pm. Two girls were in the midst of another bout of giggles when the young girl asked what time it was. 5:15 pm. Horrors. Betty took matters in her own hands, “Tell your Dad that the clock stopped, and you didn’t realize the time and you are sorry.” The young girl said, “Do you think he will believe that?” The young girl was reassured by Betty.
The young girl went home and her Dad demanded to know why she was late after she promised to be home by 5 pm. The girl parroted the words her friend gave her. Then the young girl’s Dad smiled, and said, “Just don’t let it happen again.”
The young girl returned the smile and said, “Betty told me you would believe that story!”
That was my first adventure into the realm of truth and lies. To think my Dad believed me, gave me a sense of power and a thrill. Those feelings soon evaporated when my Dad did not trust me. The bond that we enjoyed had a small hairline fracture. I knew that lying is not a game – that it is living honesty and truth in all dealings with others. It is the ‘Cross my heart and hope to die” part of life.
To promise something and not keep that promise is also a lie. Be it in a relationship, a business deal, or between us and our God. Truth is truth, the naked truth, the honest truth. Cross my heart and hope to die – truth.
While I grew up, Dad often said, “I don’t have a lot of a money for you to inherit, but you have my good name, with a good reputation for truth and dependability.” He told the truth. Money does not last, but a good reputation does.
Relationships rise on truth and fall in lies.
A teacher co-worker often dealt with lies after recess. Inevitably one of the 6th graders misbehaved on the playground. An inquisition trying to ascertain the truth ensued. I marveled at her ‘Perry Mason’ ability to re-construct the ‘crime’ and determine who was transgressor. When I tried to follow the questioning and the intricate curves of the story. My head was a-swirl with many stories and how she pinpointed the truth escaped me. It seemed to me that asking and accepting truth would short-circuited a great deal of ‘teaching time’.
It seemed to me that lies create heart-deep betrayal – suspicion – loss of trust – fear – disrespect.
Truth creates an openness – sunshine – light – trust – dependable – respect.
Charles Swindoll once wrote – Honesty has a beautiful and refreshing simplicity about it. No ulterior motives. No hidden meanings. An absence of hypocrisy, duplicity, political games, and verbal superficiality. As honesty and real integrity characterize our lives, there will be no need to manipulate others.
Mark Twain said, Always tell the truth. That way you don’t have to remember what you said
How do we know what is true? Many scholars spend their lives searching for truth, for surely, Truth shall make us free…..
Who tells the truth. To my amazement, I read the phrase, uttered by Jesus, “I tell you the truth,” 27 times in the Gospels – Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.
John 14:6 – Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
Although Diogenes never found an honest man, he may have found men who were forgiven. Why is it that little ones are so precious? What draws us to them? When I saw the faces of three small children and see the innocence in their eyes, I simply want to love them. When Jesus said that He is the truth, And he said: “I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 18:3
Truth fears no questions.
Comments? eacombs@eacombs@cox.net