First Date with Dad

Sitting on my window sill in my office at church is an array of photos. One of them features me and my oldest daughter when she was about three or four years old (so we are talking some 28 years ago!) The picture means a lot to me (and it's not because it is proof that I one day had hair!). It is special because it was taken on our Emily's first official date with Daddy. Our date night was a trip to the movies to see the Disney animated classic, Pinocchio.  As most of you know, the film is all about a wooden puppet who longs to become a real human boy.  In his journey toward his dream, a huge flaw is revealed.  Pinocchio has a problem telling the truth.  And every time he lies, his nose grows!

As I thought of that, I tried to imagine what our world would be like if that really happened.  I mean, could you imagine if every time we told a lie, our noses would grow?  None of us could probably drive our cars because we would not be able to sit in the driver’s seat to drive our car – our noses would be too long!!!  (Jimmy Durante – move aside!)

We find it so easy to stretch the truth, distort the truth, or downright contradict the truth.  We know it’s wrong (for the most part) so we have developed a lingo that softens the harshness of lying.  We say things like “Oh, I was only fibbing.”  Or, “That was just a white lie.”  But God has a different perspective on lying.  Are you ready for this?  In Proverbs 12:22 we read that “The LORD detests lying lips.”  Hmmm . . . that word “detests” is an awfully strong word.  It means “to feel intense hatred for.”  So God intensely hates lying – no matter what nice little name we might have for it!  What God loves is truth telling!  The second half of Proverbs 12:22 reads, “But he delights in men who are truthful.”  Let’s determine that today . . . and tomorrow . . . and the next day – we will be men and women who tell the truth, both in word and deed!  For when we do this, the God who made us delights in us!  Now there’s a thought for you!

Thanks for stopping by . . .
pj

PS - Much of the content of this posting was taken from a 2007 posting.  I figured if it was worth posting then ... it is surely worth posting again!  Thanks!