Big lies, little lies and white lies all have important roles. Good people have little white lies. They bend the truth for morally justified reasons. Bad people just break the truth until they don't blush doing it.
Lies are the thick greases that coat the workings of social interactions. It is the 10w40 of natural existence. What award winning movie doesn't have some major or minor misunderstanding to resolves or hide. Lies provide drama and comedy.
But grace does something different and many times unwanted because of the initial exposure.
"Surely his salvation is near to those who fear him, that glory may dwell in our land. Steadfast love and faithfulness meet; righteousness and peace kiss each other. Faithfulness springs up from the ground, and righteousness looks down from the sky. Yes, the LORD will give what is good, and our land will yield its increase. Righteousness will go before him and make his footsteps a way." - Psalm 85:9-13 ESV
God is righteous and lies have nothing to do with Him. His truth and holiness are a pathway for Him. Lies are nothing to Him. He won't walk down those roads.
Mercy has rejoiced against judgement. The Gospel of Grace is truth that casts no shadow because it glows from within like Jesus on the mount glowing white. The law was right but it cast a long shadow and people used that shadow to hide from reality because that reality was so hard to bear.
The orphan invents parents. The young man pretends to hide the pain attaching his identity to some strong role model. The woman married to an angry man plays a role and lives behind a mask to hide from the man's anger. Fake phone numbers in bars. Expensive clothing hides insecurity. A smile hides pain. Governments must look strong and knowledgeable. Companies must look profitable. People must pretend without grace and mercy.
No more lies. When Jesus comes there are no more lies.
He stands in Peter's boat to preaching and the fish come at His silent command and Peter knows He is a sinful man but Jesus will not depart from Him. Jesus stays for the rest of Peter's life. Even when Jesus leaves to ascend to Heaven He never leaves Peter without a comforter to indwell him. Grace stays forever.
No white lies to make someone feel pretty and hide a fear of ugliness... just love. A creator's love... a parent's love... love and connection.
"And you shall not walk in the customs of the nation that I am driving out before you, for they did all these things, and therefore I detested them." - Leviticus 20:23 ESV
"So you will walk in the way of the good and keep to the paths of the righteous." - Proverbs 2:20 ESV
"Do not enter the path of the wicked, and do not walk in the way of the evil." - Proverbs 4:14 ESV
"If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us." - 1 John 1:6-10 ESV
1 John verse 9 has us confess which is really just stepping out of the shadow that isn't hiding us anyway and confessing God's faithfulness for that particular situation. We are stepping out into the light and light is where we have communion with God and fellowship with people.
The truth is so much better than fiction when there is full unconditional acceptance. People don't need to remake the past or invent the future when there is grace.
"Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein." - Hebrews 13:9 KJV
Those strange teachings cast a long shadow. They have no glow of life. When we have a message that gives off light we just are who we are with no need to be anything else.
That is the message we have for others, 'Just come as you are. You don't have to be anything for God or for me. You may not know what you are but you are very important.'
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