Common Ways We Deceive Ourselves and Others
There’s this little general store about a mile from my house that I love. I can quickly run down there for just about anything – a last-minute staple for dinner, ice for a party, or a gift bag for a birthday gift. I especially love their greeting cards. Whereas cards can be $4 or $5 in most places, you can get them for $.50 to $1 all day long at this store.
The thing that bugs me about the store though is that it’s always a mess! The shelves are packed full and they have boxes and carts sitting in the aisles full of random products, making it hard to get to what you need. Sometimes, you literally have to move the cart or box aside to get the item you need from the shelf. Obviously, these products are intended to go on a shelf somewhere, but there is none available so they just leave the carts and boxes sitting there in the aisles. Every time I go in there I think to myself, When are they going to clean up this store?”
Then one day I went to walk up to the storefront and there was a sign on the door. It said, “We are committed to keeping our aisles clean and a safe and orderly store environment.” Oh great, I thought, some customers must have complained about the messiness and they have finally cleaned up and organized the store.” But when I walked through and entered the store, I discovered it was just as messy as ever!! What was that sign supposed to mean? I was bewildered!
Truth in Advertising?
On another occasion, I ran out of the brand of face toner I usually use and waited until it went on sale to purchase more. In the meantime, I picked up a cheap brand to use. It had “fragrance-free” on the label. I didn’t mind if it had a fragrance or not, so that was no issue. But when I opened the bottle, it smelled so bad I could hardly stand to put it on my face. A better label description would have said “Beware, Smells horrible!” Surely, whoever botted this knew it wasn’t fragrance-free! Why did they label it that way? I thought fragrance-free meant no smell.
The Duplicitous Political Scene
Politicians are noteworthy for saying one thing and doing something else entirely. Some politicians say what they know their constituents want to hear or promise them things they know they can’t deliver so they get elected. Then once in office, they do just the opposite, which was their hidden intention all along. You’d think we as Americans would wise up to this trickery, but we seldom do.
Be Yourself
The latest form of misrepresentation today is men and women who decide they will become the opposite sex. A man who is a mediocre university swimmer in the men’s division, for example, puts on a woman’s swimsuit and changes his name to a female one, and tells everyone that he is a woman now. Though he would never admit it, I believe his obvious intent was to take away women’s titles because he was bigger and stronger than any woman on the teams.
You can’t just decide to be a different sex. This man may have been delusional, but what’s absurd is that the Universities let him get away with it!
Is Lying Necessary?
Can we just be honest here? Why do we feel we must lie? Posting a sign on your door that your store is clean and organized doesn’t make it clean and organized. People aren’t blind and can still see your mess. Telling your customers that your product is fragrance-free, doesn’t make it fragrance-free. Most people can smell it. They may purchase your product once, but never will again. Lying to people to get them to vote for you doesn’t make you a good leader, it makes your constituents despise you. And trying to act like you are a different sex than you are by dressing incorrectly or manipulating your body, doesn’t change anything. You’re still the same sex. You just look different now.
There’s Got to be A Better Way
A better sign for a messy store would read, “Pardon our mess. We’re working on it.” And then clean it up by taking out some merchandise or building a bigger store.
If you’re a politician, simply say what you believe and then carry that out if you get elected. The few that do are highly esteemed.
Manufacturers, don’t try to deceive your customers. “Truth in Advertising” works out best when people abide by it.
And, if you are struggling with your gender, there is real help available through Christian counseling. I realize this is a sensitive issue for some people. However, the help you get from a Christian counselor is much better than trying to convince yourself that you’re something you are not. Unfortunately, many, even in the medical field who know better, are telling you something different. But someone must speak the truth to you, because “The truth will make you free.” John 8:32
Is Trust a Thing of the Past?
Unfortunately, we live in a world where truth and honesty are no longer valued. Many of our major news outlets slant the news to fit their agenda and leave out the important news that they don’t want us to hear. Politicians often lie to our faces and no longer even feel bad about it because they have become so callous to say what they want us to hear without any regard for the truth as long as it gets them what they want. Government agencies that were once highly thought of like the FBI have now been seeded with corruption. We’re not even sure about the integrity of our health care system any longer.
Today, we have more information available at our fingertips than any other generation and yet, there is little of it that we can truly trust. The sad thing is that we really don’t know who we can trust and who we can’t.
Naturally, we can’t change other people. We can only change ourselves. If trust is to be regained, it must begin with each one of us determining to be honest in our personal dealings, regardless of what the rest of the world is doing. One by one, we can make a more trustworthy society.
I am thankful for the truth of God’s Word to guide us. It’s a rock we can stand on in turbulent times and in good times as well. It’s enlightening, encouraging, never-changing, and always true!
Speak truth in love.
Ephesians 4:15
