One of the problems with lies is that they never end. We have all been told that again and again by our parents. Yet, still we lie. Little white lies we call them. We withhold the truth from each other. We cower behind our secrets and pray that we are never fully seen. Is this a way to live? For many people it has become a way of life. The oppression of perfection has forced us into a servitude to lies for the sake of public image. There are really four things we need to understand about lying and its consequences.
Secrets are lies waiting to happen: It can safely be said that all people have had things they wished to keep to themselves and it can also be safely said that most feel there is nothing wrong with that. We understand that there are things that are none of our business. But are secrets healthy things? Or do they become stones around our neck that we are continually trying to hide?
The problem with a secret is that sooner or later one will be asked about it. Then one must do one of three things: lie, state that one can’t say, or tell the truth. Only one truly resolves the problem. Only by telling the truth can a secret be buried because it is no longer a secret. If history has shown anything it is that all things come out eventually.
There are no white lies: A white lie is commonly thought to be a small or unimportant falsehood that doesn’t hurt anyone. Perhaps it is true that one small lie will not affect those it is told to but what are the consequences to the one doing the telling? If one becomes comfortable with telling a lie about small things what would stop them from growing comfortable with telling lies about big things?
No one gets away with a lie: No matter how careful one is in their lying, no matter how well they keep their network of falsehoods organized, no matter how carefully protected the secrets are, they will all come out. It maybe years but it will happen. For evidence I give the last century of human history. How many lies have been told and found out? How many powerful men have been destroyed simply by their own words?
The truth will set you free: Image if you will the absolute freedom of being an open book. Where everyone knows everything about you and more importantly, you don’t care that they do. Sounds scary and it is. There is nothing as hard as telling the truth but there is nothing like the freedom of having no shadows in your life.
Test me on this. Expose your soul, some may get mad, some may not be happy, some may disagree, but finally one finds out exactly what is and isn’t. And is that not what truth is? Knowing what is and what isn’t?
