~~ Romans 12:2 (NIV84)~~ Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
by Carley Cooper
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| Cracker Jack & Casey ~~~~~~~~~ Cracker Jack: "I hate to tell you this, Bro, but Mom loves me best. That package of treats she brought home was for me." Casey: "Mommyyyyy. *sniff, sniff* Cracker said you don't love me anymore!". ~~~~~~~~~ Photo by Carley |
“No Mommy, I didn’t break that. Billy did it!”
“You are beautiful, Baby. That dress doesn’t make you look fat at all”.
“Of course I know when our anniversary is Honey”.
“I promise I will never, ever do that again!”
“Yes Baby, I did like it. That was the best meal you ever cooked”.
Do you see a pattern in all those statements? If not, read them again. The common thread is that they are all untruths that so many of us have said in our lifetimes. They are what most of us might call ‘little white lies’. Every once in a while a situation pops up where we just do not want to hurt someone’s feelings, so we tell a tiny lie in an effort to avoid hurting someone we love. Why does it matter anyway? It is not like someone’s life will be altered one way or the other. What she doesn’t know cannot hurt her. Right?
The patterns of this world have us believing that lies can be categorized into various sub-groups such as: Good Lies, Bad Lies, and Really Bad Lies. We have a longing to believe that as long as we are basically ‘good’ people, do not do ‘really bad’ things, treat everyone the same, and try not to hurt others than we are ‘safe’ with God. Our attitudes are that certainly, people will ‘tick us off’; but it is better to feel a little out of sorts than to be like the ‘really bad people’ who push their anger to the limits and do something terrible like kill someone. These beliefs feed into the next one which says ‘I didn’t commit a crime. My lie, anger or hatred did not actually hurt anyone. Killing... well, does!’
My very dear friend and mentor once told me that Satan will stand behind us and whisper lies in our ear; then he will stand in front of us pointing his finger and say ‘how dare you think such horrible thoughts’. He does this in an effort to make us feel guilty, angry, unworthy, unloved, and an endless number of other negative emotions. His goal is to make us vulnerable. At a bible study last week, our leader (Pastor, Speaker and Author, Francine Gilchrist) told us that Satan can whisper something in your ear, and then something else into the ear of a friend; in an effort to create a rift in the relationship. What greater helplessness is there; than damaging our most important relationships?! It seems, in my life right now, God wants me to be extra aware of Satan’s deceptions. I say this because the subject of the enemy’s deceptions came up a third time, a couple days ago, during another conversation; this time with my pastor. He told me that the enemy whispers lies in our ear when we are vulnerable so that we will be more likely to believe them.
There is an endless list of lies that the world lives by yet not realizing that indeed huge sins are being committed. Our life in this world will be judged according to God’s laws. Sin is sin. The truth is that in God’s eyes, hatred is equivalent to murder. 1 John 3:15 (NIV84) says that “Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life in him.” If you have ever hated anyone, than you have broken the commandment “You shall not murder” (Exodus 20:13 (NIV84)). Lust means you have committed adultery in your heart (Matthew 5:28 (NIV84)). Gossip, envy, slander, or boastfulness are all considered as evil as any other wrong doing. (Romans 1:29-32 (NIV84)). Why is it that we have a hard time believing that these things are actually as serious as any other sin? Yet, when we read that rape is actually as bad as committing murder (Deuteronomy 22:25-26 (NIV84)), we often tend to agree. Why do we believe there is a difference? The reason is because of the deceptions that the enemy whispers in our ear. No matter how small a lie is; it is a lie just the same. It is a huge black mark on our souls.
As a Christian with Bipolar Disorder, I am also aware that it is when I am most vulnerable, or when the chemical imbalances are the most ‘out of whack’, that Satan whispers the biggest lies to me. He picks my weakest moments and the worst of circumstances to tell me the biggest lies. Fighting him in these times takes every bit of strength and focus I can muster up; and often the strength I have is no where near enough. Pastor, also said that we have to consciously focus on faith. The mind is a powerful thing. With a lot of work, and a lot more faith; we can change our minds and build a strong defence against the fabrications of the enemy. Keep our eye on Jesus, and God’s Word and we can fight the untruths about ‘good lies’ and ‘bad lies’. It is by knowing what scripture tells us that we will have the tools that we need to fight (Hebrews 4:12(NIV84) ). The renewing of our minds through Christ is what will transform us from the patterns of this world (Romans 12:2(NIV84) ). Without this faith, I would not have the strength to keep fighting (Nehemiah 8:10, Psalm 46:1, Isaiah 40:28-31, Philippians 4:13 (all from NIV84)).
I have often told people that I would rather hear a truth that hurt, than a lie that did not. The truth is that ‘’little white lies’ is, in itself, a contradiction of terms; as they are not little, and they are not white. I am a firm believer in “what she doesn’t know can, and likely will, hurt her a lot” and, when it does, it can hurt in many ways. Little white lies do hurt... they hurt you, if you are the one saying it; and they hurt the other person because you have just placed a sin between you. Not to mention the fact that the other person is continuing to build, based on a false foundation. Your life is the life that will be altered... your eternal life. The biggest truth of all though, is that we have hope because of Jesus; and with His strength, and the renewing of our minds daily we will have more energy and there will be no more lies controlling our lives. God’s good, pleasing and perfect will, will be done.
~~ Dear God ~~ Thank You for the hope You have given us through Jesus. Please continue to renew my mind daily with the Holy Spirit. Send the angels that You have assigned to protect me, to fight the enemy with me and keep him from whispering lies in my ear. Please help me remember each verse of scripture in the moment I need it as I fight the enemy and also to help spread the Good News about Jesus to others. In Jesus name, AMEN.
