Deception

So Jacob decided to deceive his father and steal his brother's blessing in Genesis 27. Jacob's name means "deceiver" right? So this is just fitting, as Esau pointed out later in the chapter. Deception is kind of like a drug. It's easy to get addicted to it when you find that you can get away with it, right?

We have all lied at some point or another. Whether we were trying to surprise someone, so we told a little white lie, or we were flat out trying to deceive someone, we have all been there. What makes lying so bad is that it presents an alternate to reality. We begin living in another world when we lie.

For instance, you see all the time on television shows when someone does something and they don't want to get in trouble, they will tell a lie that they didn't do it. "It wasn't me." Right. What this creates, then, is a world of doubt. If you tell me you didn't do something, I then have to determine whether the reality of the situation is that you didn't do it or you are covering your tracks. Now, to make matters worse, perhaps you tell me how I can know you didn't do it, you were at the grocery store at the time that it happened. Now the possibilities begin to multiply. There is the possible reality where you didn't do it and you were at the grocery store; there is the possible reality that you didn't do it, but you were not at the grocery; there's the possible reality that you did do it, but you did go to the grocery store; and there is the possible reality that you did do it and you never were at the grocery store. This could go on and on.

Some people have become so accustomed to deceiving others that their whole lives are one big lie. They are not living in the reality of the world. Have you ever known someone like this? You never know whether to believe them or not. Every word that comes out of their mouth causes more and more doubt. Why do we do this? Wouldn't it just be so much easier if we all just told the truth?

It is necessary for anyone who claims to know the truth through Jesus Christ to speak the truth. If people doubt anything you say, they will not believe it when you tell them the truth of Jesus. Your life must be as much of a witness as your words. So is there something you need to be honest about? Maybe you need to be honest with yourself about something. Whatever the case may be, just be honest with everyone, whether it means you have to admit to something you wish you hadn't done or it will affect someone you love. Just speak the truth, but do it in love.

Gary Luedecke, Lifegroup Pastor