Okay . . . So, maybe not murder but the title sure does paint the picture. For the past couple of days I have been binge watching the show ‘Shades of blue” an American drama series starring Jennifer Lopez. The show is about a ‘single mother who runs with a group of dirty cops, taking her cut of the bribes and protection money to give her bright and promising daughter the best life possible and a leg up for a better future’.
In every episode you think there is no way it could get any worse . . . and then it does. After the seasons finale of season 2, I began to trace back to how the characters got to this point. Where did things go wrong? Could lives have been saved? Could families have stayed together? then it hit me . . . the only way things could have changed is if LIES were not planted in the very first episode of the series.
The problem with a lie is that it will always come to surface. There is no such thing as ‘covering up’ or ‘hiding’ from the truth. My mother used to always tell me “you can tell me the truth now or I’ll find out next week, next month or in 10 years.” The thought of ‘I’ll rather wait the 10 years than confess’, crossed my mind several times as a teenager but the guilt of lying was too strong and I would always end up confessing. My mother was right, what is done in the dark will eventually come to light.
The problem with lying to others is not about others, it is about you. We think that keeping a secret shows loyalty and sometimes that could be true but mostly we are participating in hiding the truth. Others may not know that you know, but God knows you knew (a little tongue twister there lol). The point is, God knows the truth. For God understands all hearts, and he sees you. If you say, “But we knew nothing about this,” does not he who weighs the heart perceive it? Does not he who guards your life know it? Will he not repay everyone according to what they have done? [Proverbs 24:12].
Lying is a snowball effect just as in Shades of Blue. One lie begins than another lie is needed to cover up the first lie . . . by the time you know it, you are 20 episodes in and there are just too many lies to keep up with. Relationships are damaged, reputations are destroyed and guilt is hovering over you like a dark cloud stealing your peace of mind. Lying is the language of The Devil, there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies [John 8:44].
As Believers, we are called to live in the will of God. We are given authority and power through the words we speak. We have a responsibility to plant seeds of truth and righteousness by our vocabulary. A lie may seem tempting at the moment and an easy escape but the end path will always lead you down destruction. Satan sends temptation but Jesus gave us a way out. Living under the covenant of grace allows us to be free from lies, deception and all things associated with the enemy. You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness [Romans 6:18].
The truth shall set you free . . .