When I finally started reading the Bible - really reading it - I saw a whole lot of room for improvement in my life. Believe me, I had many choices of where to dig in and start! Just read Chapters 5 - 7 in the Gospel of Matthew.
But one theme of "graffiti" that really connected with me was telling the truth. Not lying. It had become incredibly easy for me in those first 28 years to lie for convenience. "Can't attend because I'm sick," "Just tell them I'm not here," "I didn't do that," "I didn't say that."
The graffiti was so pervasive - that I no longer saw some of it. Even my dear wife had been pulled into a couple of my - seemingly harmless - lies of convenience, and she resented having to cover, by lying herself. It had bred disrespect in our community. I really didn't see the harm...until I stopped. At one point I just declared, "I don't lie." And God helped to convict and open my eyes from that point on. Of course, things were actually easier when I didn't lie. People respected my honesty, I got caught in fewer convoluted traps of past graffiti.
But the most important object lesson for me was not wringing my hands over what to do. "I don't lie." So, the course of action was clear - it was liberating! And I was able to say to our young toddler, with conviction - "honey, we don't lie." Now, with her as an adult, we will check each other and examine the truth of our actions, as well as words and advise, "as long as it's true."
Look, Christianity is humility. We're not better than anyone else because we declare our belief in God - we're more aware of where God's ways are better ways. And I believe His Holy Spirit has helped and encouraged me to see so many areas where I can grow to be more like His Son, Jesus. I started with the graffiti. He's still working with me.
What do you believe?
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