TRUTH: “‘emet is spelled with the first, middle, and last letters of the Hebrew alphabet; thus the rabbis concluded that truth upholds the first and the last of God’s creation, and everything in between!”

Truth is too often a rare commodity whether it’s in the area of politics, education, business or relationships. When we find someone we can believe in who has integrity, we learn that it’s safe to make ourselves vulnerable with them. If we’ve been deceived by a vendor, contractor or friend, the openness we once shared becomes stifled until the matter has been reconciled. If it never comes to that point, there remains a wall between us.

It’s easier to deal with a deceptive person when it’s business, not personal, although we often take it personally, because we can always do business elsewhere. But what happens when a relationship is fractured because of mistrust. How long do we give a person to make amends? A specified time limit or indefinite? And what do we do during that time? It’s impossible to continue with the status quo as if nothing has changed, unless the deception is small; although if someone deceives us in small things, it still changes the level of trust we have in them to some degree.

When the deception is huge and there is no acknowlegement of wrongdoing, it can sever a relationship irrevocably. We can forgive, and must, but we cannot trust that person again unless we are in denial—which is at best, temporary, because if someone deceives in one serious area, they will continue into other areas. Like rings in a lake when we throw in a stone, the effects will permeate more and more friendships and issues.

The psalmist David prayed “You desire truth in the inward parts, and in the hidden part You will make me to know wisdom.” Psalm 51:6. And in Psalm 25:21 David says, “Let integrity and uprightness preserve me.” When we allow the truth of God to be applied in our hearts, our lives will be open, with nothing to hide, and we will be persons of integrity. A worthy goal.

7/3/09