Liar, Liar, Pants on Fire

Liar, liar, pants on fire, hanging on a telephone wire…

Do kids say that anymore?  Can you imagine…I mean the pants on fire part…

What if, every time someone told a lie, a piece of their clothing would spontaneously combust?!  Ever heard this one: How can you tell if a politician is lying?  His lips are moving.  

If spontaneously combustible clothing was the consequence for people lying, then someone would have invented a vending machine with marshmallows, grahams, chocolates and biodegradable roasting sticks on every street corner so we could all whip up a s’more whenever we want.

Lying is a big deal.  Untruth – anti truth – is toxic.  To our world, to our team, to our lives.  The world was designed to function in truth, from truth.  If you want a life marked by flourishing – you want truth.  No untried B.S. route to get there – flourishing life needs a tried-and-true message and method. 

-   Being wealthy will make you happy.  Lie.

-   Ok…well it’s better than being poor.  Lie.

-   Performance and achievement = value.  Lie.

-   Bigger is better.  Lie.

-   Their team sucks.  Our team is the best.  Lie.

-   I lost – I must suck.  Lie.

-   I’m struggling – no one will help me.  Lie.

-   I don’t have any friends.  Lie.

I could make up a list longer than my arm here.  These (and so many others) come from the list of lies I quickly identified as ones I’ve given attention to, believed for a while, pondered in my heart.

We live in a culture in the world and in our little communities at work, in our homes, churches, clubs or groups, where we can forget to cultivate a system of checking to see if untrue messaging is going out – being heard, noticed, accepted. 

Teri and I were more broke than Job’s turkey when we got married 42 years ago.  Along the way, every single lie I listed above – I worked under the motivation of those sayings, at one point or another, as if there were some modicum of truth to them.  Grew up in the good ‘ol USA, bought the American Dream, married my high-school sweetheart, bought a house, started a business, attended church and served, cranked out a family, etc.  And, along the way, I was either a foolish idiot or I attended to some wrong messaging.

There’s a way that seems right to a fella…but it leads you far astray and away from the life designed for him.  It’ll downright kill him if left alone!

I am telling you, friend – every single one of these will light your frigg’n pants on FIRE!  You will not flourish if you believe them, no matter how subtly sexy they are presented to you or how motivationally they are presented or preached.  Liar – liar – pants on fire!!

There are truths that need to be told, modelled, and walked out.  There is absolute truth available to you, to me, to our kids and grandkids.  And our culture, our world, foists lie upon lie and anti-truth upon anti-truth, motivated by all manner of wrong intent.

The pillar of truth.

If you want a life, a family, a team, a company, a city, a country, a world – Truth is critical.  It is simply not possible without this.  Truth will penetrate any situation and liberate, lighting the pathway for direction and sustainability.  Yet the truth must be seen in contrast to all the other options that vie for our attention.

I’m writing this today to activate wonder and curiosity about truth.  Could it be so?  Is there absolute truth for this or that thing going on in my life right now?  And is there someone who will show me, tell me, wait, and watch with me as it comes?

Yes, friends – that’s the line of questioning indeed.  Wait in wonder as you esteem truth as the pillar you need, building a flourishing life on the foundation of your own belovedness.

Wondering, with you today, about a life of flourishing joy and free-flowing blessing, built on the rock and reality of unconditional love, a life that becomes upheld by undying gratitude and utter dependence on the availability of absolute truth sustaining and supporting us in every possible way.  Wondering about that indeed.

If you struggle or feel stuck in a cycle of uncertainty – you need to poke those little keys on your phone or tablet or laptop and let someone know.  Punch out a note to me and I’ll answer.  You can also be super courageous right this second - get quiet and whisper a prayer to the One who claims to be Truth and ask…ask in wonder and wait for a reply. Admit you don’t know and ask for the truth to be made known.  * I’d write it down when it comes…just a pro-tip from an old guy.

Peace to you today~

Craig

craig@r12coaching.com

(send me a note if you’d like some company)