When I was growing up, our family would occasionally watch an old game show on television entitled, “To Tell The Truth.” I understand that a modern version is running these days on network television. The premise of the show is simple, three people are brought before a team of celebrities, each claiming to be a person with an unusual job or a remarkable life experience. The team of celebrities then question the three people, trying to determine which one is telling the truth. The other two contestants are just pretending.
While it may be entertaining to watch a team of celebrities guess who is telling the truth, in real life it is much more difficult to discern the honesty of others. It is not entertaining to have someone lie or deceive you. We expect others to tell us the truth.
Dishonesty is a major problem in our society. Politicians, news reporters and even ministers have been caught lying or deceiving people. This has occurred so often that we are no longer shocked by the overt dishonesty of people.
While lying is a horrible sin, it has a deeper root. The reason people lie is because they have a sinfully depraved nature. Like candidates on “To Tell The Truth,” we are guilty of pretending to be something we are not. Rather than being people of character and integrity, we seek to have a polished image. While you may impress others with a good image, the reality beneath the veneer can only be hidden for a short period of time. Sooner or later, the truth comes out.
A life of duplicity is often called hypocrisy. While it is easy to spot hypocrisy in others, it is more difficult to recognize it in ourselves. While we easily condemn the pretense of others, we are quick to guard or excuse our own pretense. Why should we pretend? Just to impress those we hardly know?
Even in church, it is possible to live in falsehood. Some pretend to be spiritual when they're not. Others pretend to be strong Christians, even though they are struggling daily. A few even pretend to be Christians while living in rebellious sin for years.
Like an actor, it is possible to create a public role that is separate from reality. While others may see the public role, God sees the reality. Often the public role is more impressive than reality. Instead of improving reality, it is easier to hide reality behind the mask of public image.
Of course the danger is that we begin believing the fiction rather than the reality. We end up lying to more than the general public. We eventually believe the lie ourselves. It takes a work of God to upset this routine and bluntly show us reality.
Look at the life of King David for a moment. He committed the horrible sin of adultery. As if that wasn't bad enough, he tried to hide his sin. His elaborate attempts to avoid responsibility eventually led to the dark sin of murder. Through it all, David went about his daily routine as if nothing was wrong. On the surface, David seemed to do an admirable deed in marrying the widow, Bathsheba. To most citizens, David was an impressive man. God knew different. David spent an entire year deceiving others. When God sent the prophet, Nathan, to challenge David, the mask of deceit came off. David's sin was exposed. In his repentance, David penned Psalm 51. In verse 6 of this psalm, David wrote, “Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.” If David had come clean long before, so much heartache and pain could have been avoided. Instead, his deceit cost him dearly. Sincere truth is always better than polished deceit.
Although we like to think of ourselves as being honest, a more careful examination may proof otherwise. Rather than focusing on our image, let us seek to have Godly character. Instead of trying to impress others, let us seek personal integrity. Rather than desiring the applause of others, let us live to please God. Inner truth is often hidden by layers of scars and shame. The removal of these layers may be painful, but getting to the truth is always worth it.
After a painful time of honesty, David wrote that God desires inner truth. Shouldn't we?
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