Genesis 50

Bible Gateway link Chapter 50

I was reading a friends testimony yesterday, A piece of it really stuck with me. In one part he talked about creating God in our image instead of acknowledging the fact the we are created in his image. It really got me to thinking about how we so often tend to rationalize our relationship with God and how we so often rationalize our actions. I ended up writing in another forum on that subject. So this morning I find myself reading Chapter 50 in Genesis, which only extended the thoughts from yesterday. Lo and behold we find Joseph's brothers lying to him. I know when you first read it, many think well it was just a "white" lie. A way to give an apology, and ask for forgiveness while increasing the chance for that forgiveness that we are looking for. The conflict there is that when we base an apology around a lie, it is not an apology given out of remorse, or a realization that there is need for forgiveness. It is an apology given out of fear. When we offer an apology out of fear, we are not sorry we hurt someone, we typically are not sorry that the event happened.....no, we are only sorry that we got caught, or now find that we might be exposed and suffer the consequence of our actions.

We rationalize the lie. We feel better about ourselves and the situation, but it is an empty feeling we are left with. The reason for that is because we have not only wronged someone but now we have lied to the same person in an effort to protect ourselves. Seeking forgiveness is about bearing our soul, it is about openly admitting our mistake and shortcoming and accepting the fact that we will have to atone on some level for our transgressions.

We do the same thing in our daily lives. If we need a deal to go through, if we want to make ourselves look better, we can think of all kinds of reasons that would make it seem OK.....it's just a white lie..... A lie is a lie, the intent does not matter. Any success that comes from the lie will surly have repercussions down the road, or we will find ourselves having to explain ourselves at a later time. Christ is the way, the TRUTH, and the light, not the good idea, the half truth, and the darkness. We can only honor him if we are truthful, not just with those around us, but with ourselves as well. I will tell you that the being honest with yourself part is the harder of the two.

Peace,
Brian