“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people’s bones and all uncleanliness.”

~Jesus, Matthew 23:27 ESV

I lied. Again.

When my high school cheerleading coach noticed I’d lost a considerable amount of weight, I insisted everything was fine. Even though it wasn’t.

My desire to fit in with the other girls on my team that were thin overshadowed my physical, spiritual, and mental needs. I lied about what I ate so I could lose weight. I believed being thin would cause people to love and accept me in a way I desperately wanted, and I thought this would make me feel less broken on the inside.

As I sought the approval I thought I needed, this became a battle in my life I no longer had the energy to fight. The more lies I told, the harder it became to keep track of them. Living in constant terror of slipping up wore me down. Finally, I reached a point where changing my dysfunctional cycle was necessary, and uncovering the truth of who I was and why I did what I did was inescapable.

“Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

~Jesus, John 8:32 NIV

The trap to impress people while we are utterly oblivious to the corrupt state of our hearts can cause damage. When we are preoccupied with keeping our exterior beautiful while leaving a rotting interior untreated, we will eventually develop a spiritual cancer that can cause us to die inside.

Authenticity teaches us that we don’t have to present ourselves in a certain way for others to love and accept us. Unraveling the lies we believe about ourselves instead of hiding behind them is crucial. I pretended to be okay when I wasn’t. Not only was that unhealthy, but it also wasn’t godly.

Friend, when lies you tell prevail, seek forgiveness. Turn to God. He sees the beauty within you He wants to hone. Choose to be transparent and authentic when the next opportunity arises.

Do you find it easier to tell the truth and be authentically you?

Lord Jesus, please help me to always tell the truth.

Amen.

Genre: Non-fiction

Copyright 2021: The Truth about Lies: Brandie J. Muncaster: All Rights Reserved