Shades of truth. Whenever the “truth” that we speak is shaded, there is trouble.
What Abraham and Sarah had done was not a “lie.” When Sarah said, “I am his sister.” This was true. It just wasn’t the whole truth. It’s the same thing the other way around. When Abraham said, “I am her brother.” This, too, was technically true. However, it omitted an important fact. They had the same father, but different mothers, and they were married. (While that is offensive to our modern minds, it was not so strange then.)
Once again, Abraham put Sarah at risk with this half-truth. King Abimelech (whose name means, “My Father is King”) took Sarah into his harem. Abraham was a rich and powerful man, and having his sister in Abimelech’s harem would form an alliance between the two men. This was less about sex and more about power.
When the Lord intervened, and revealed that Sarah was Abraham’s wife, and not just his sister, He makes it clear that this deception was a deadly game. God told Abimelech that he was a, “dead man.” He had also caused all of the women of Abimelech’s household to become unable to conceive children. The Lord also showed Himself to be merciful as He protected Abimelech and Sarah by keeping him from touching her. In addition he used Abraham’s prayer to heal Abimelech and his household.
Truth matters.
As sinful people we are awfully good at shading, bending, manipulating, contorting and twisting truth to make ourselves look better, protect our backsides, or get some kind of advantage. Even if we’d never flat our “lie,” we are still quite adept at telling the “truth” we want to have told.
- At meetings we give reports that omit the parts that make us look bad.
- We hint that “someone” did something that forced our response.
- We take responsibility, “but” . . . we provide what we see to be mitigating factors.
Jesus says that that the Devil is the father of lies, and when he lies he speaks his native language. In addition, Jesus says that when we lie we are showing our allegiance and connection to the Devil. (John 8:44) We are revealing the depth of our sinfulness when we shade the truth, and we show our need for a savior.
Thanks be to God that Jesus is that savior!
As redeemed people we live in Jesus, and Jesus says, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. . . .” We are urged to speak the truth in love (Eph. 4:15) and to love one another in deed and truth (1John 3:18). As Jesus-followers speaking the truth is a reflection of whose we are and the salvation we have received in Jesus.
Father in heaven, You are true and there is no falsehood in You. I do not always speak the whole truth. Help my words to always reflect my savior and reveal Him who is Truth to the people around me. Amen.
What Abraham and Sarah had done was not a “lie.” When Sarah said, “I am his sister.” This was true. It just wasn’t the whole truth. It’s the same thing the other way around. When Abraham said, “I am her brother.” This, too, was technically true. However, it omitted an important fact. They had the same father, but different mothers, and they were married. (While that is offensive to our modern minds, it was not so strange then.)
Once again, Abraham put Sarah at risk with this half-truth. King Abimelech (whose name means, “My Father is King”) took Sarah into his harem. Abraham was a rich and powerful man, and having his sister in Abimelech’s harem would form an alliance between the two men. This was less about sex and more about power.
When the Lord intervened, and revealed that Sarah was Abraham’s wife, and not just his sister, He makes it clear that this deception was a deadly game. God told Abimelech that he was a, “dead man.” He had also caused all of the women of Abimelech’s household to become unable to conceive children. The Lord also showed Himself to be merciful as He protected Abimelech and Sarah by keeping him from touching her. In addition he used Abraham’s prayer to heal Abimelech and his household.
Truth matters.
As sinful people we are awfully good at shading, bending, manipulating, contorting and twisting truth to make ourselves look better, protect our backsides, or get some kind of advantage. Even if we’d never flat our “lie,” we are still quite adept at telling the “truth” we want to have told.
- At meetings we give reports that omit the parts that make us look bad.
- We hint that “someone” did something that forced our response.
- We take responsibility, “but” . . . we provide what we see to be mitigating factors.
Jesus says that that the Devil is the father of lies, and when he lies he speaks his native language. In addition, Jesus says that when we lie we are showing our allegiance and connection to the Devil. (John 8:44) We are revealing the depth of our sinfulness when we shade the truth, and we show our need for a savior.
Thanks be to God that Jesus is that savior!
As redeemed people we live in Jesus, and Jesus says, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. . . .” We are urged to speak the truth in love (Eph. 4:15) and to love one another in deed and truth (1John 3:18). As Jesus-followers speaking the truth is a reflection of whose we are and the salvation we have received in Jesus.
Father in heaven, You are true and there is no falsehood in You. I do not always speak the whole truth. Help my words to always reflect my savior and reveal Him who is Truth to the people around me. Amen.
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