Unconfessed lies - 18 November 2009 |
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I’m not normally in the habit of reading the Church Times, which is why I’m glad that someone pointed me in the direction of this article by Elaine Storkey, since it would have been a shame to miss it.
Insightful, thought-provoking, and just a little bit frightening.
If a single lie requires further reinforcements, until a whole army of falsehoods has been assembled, some people are still prepared to continue the battle rather than give in and admit the truth.
Lying moulds our identity and influences our relationships. Most psychologists can tell us that this occurs in much deeper ways than we suspect. Dishonesty changes who we really want to be. It forces us to harden our hearts and embrace self-delusion and distortion, so that we can live more easily with our lie.
What could be more chilling than his reminder that there is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed — that what we have whispered in private will be shouted from the housetops (Luke 12)? … We cannot radiate a public persona that professes virtue or calls for justice while doing something different in private … even if no one else knows our secret, we cannot escape it.
Posted by Steve Jeffery · Topics: Godliness, Minister's Blog