Just a white lie

Genesis 50: 15-17

15When Joseph's brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, "It may be that Joseph will hate us and pay us back for all the evil that we did to him." 16So they sent a message to Joseph, saying, "Your father gave this command before he died, 17'Say to Joseph, Please forgive the transgression of your brothers and their sin, because they did evil to you.' And now, please forgive the transgression of the servants of the God of your father." Joseph wept when they spoke to him.

SO yesterday I write about rationalizing our lives, and this morning I find myself reading Chapter 50 in Genesis. 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. 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 is the more difficult of the two.

Peace,
Rev. Thetford