It seems like it’s harder and harder to determine what’s real and what’s not anymore.  I find myself adopting a “Show Me” philosophy, maybe it’s because I’m a Missouri gal or maybe I have been lied to more than I like.  Either way trusting people to always be truthful with us seems to be a thing of the past.  Unfortunately people aren’t necessarily lying to hurt us, it has become an accepted practice in our society.  I guess technology like photo shop and internet dating has created an acceptance of half truths and falseness. It makes me wonder if our society that was raised with believing in Santa Clause and the Easter Bunny who then grew up to discover they were just make believe, has created a precedence of approval of little white lies.  Don’t get me wrong, I love Santa Clause and the Easter Bunny.  I just wonder how we have gotten so far from knowing what truth is.

I have met, as I am sure you have too, people who have told so many little lies that they no longer know what is real and what isn’t.  They have convinced themselves to believe their own spin on the truth.  Unfortunately they end up hurting themselves and those around them.

It makes me wonder, do people see God as a make believe being?  Are they reading the Bible and it’s stories as a fictional fairy tale verses the inspired word of God written for doctrine, reproof, correction and instruction in righteousness as told in 2 Timothy 3:16?

The father of lies, Satan, has sneaked his way into our lives to pull us away from truth.  He has desensitized us and convinced us to believe it’s okay not to be totally truthful.  I think back to my teenage years and playing the game “Truth or Dare” with my friends.  I remember thinking no one will really know if I am not really telling the truth.  We still tell ourselves today that no one really will know if we aren’t totally honest.  But that’s not true either.  God knows.  He is omnipotent, all knowing.  He can not be fooled by lies because He is truth.  In John 15:26 Jesus promises to send the Holy Spirit to his followers after he returns to heaven.  Jesus calls Him the “Spirit of Truth”.  God knew men would struggle with truth and lies.  So much that in the ten commandments he directs us not to bear false witness against our neighbor.  What is bearing false witness?  It means to lie….

The good news is in a world full of confusion of truth and lies, fact and fiction, real or fake, we can trust and believe in God.  He is not make believe.  God is real.  His word and His Spirit of Truth will guide us in all truth if we seek Him.  In a “Show Me” society we can find real truth in God.  He can enable us to speak truth.  Zechariah 8:16-17 tells us to speak truth to our neighbors and to judge in truth.  It warns us not to love a false oath and shares that the Lord hates these things.  So as we think about what truth is, I challenge us in a world of lies and deception to find and speak truth. After all the truth will set you free!