Truth or Dare

Truth matters. Words matter. Two times over the past month, I have been lied to by a person on the phone pretending to be someone they are not – for the sole purpose of stealing my money. Yesterday, I had someone tell me that he was a “man of God” – an honest man, wanting to rent office space. Enough red flags were raised that I checked out his story. Turns out, the place for rent is actually someone’s home, in a building that does not allow rentals.

This bald face lie rocks me. I trust words. I trust people. As a counsellor, I use words to help and to heal. They matter. The truth matters. Trauma is a violation in human connection, and healing comes from restoring human connection. And words matter.

I find I am faced with two choices. I can become cynical and not believe anyone, anything that they say, or I can continue to trust that most people are honest and true – but still be careful and discerning. In this internet age, it is so easy for people to misrepresent, to lie about who they are, and their intentions.

I am a mother to a special needs child who takes words very literally. How do I teach him to be less trusting? Last year he faced a situation in an online game where someone did lie to him, and he gave that person some internet dollars. I had to tell him very clearly that internet money is still money – and that he can not always trust what people say. What a tough lesson for anyone!

Thank Heavens we have a God of truth – God’s words are life and truth. We can stake our lives on His promises and His truth. When I meet Him some day, I will be judged on the words that I spoke, and the person that I have been. I would far rather meet him as someone who has tried to be honest, than someone who uses deception to make a living.

In my morning quiet time, I read these words

Lead me, Lord, in your righteousness
because of my enemies—
make your way straight before me.
9 Not a word from their mouth can be trusted;
their heart is filled with malice.
Their throat is an open grave;
with their tongues they tell lies.
10 Declare them guilty, O God!
Let their intrigues be their downfall.
Banish them for their many sins,
for they have rebelled against you.

Psalm 5, 8-10.

May you speak words of life, of healing, of truth, because your words do matter.