LIAR LIAR.

When I was in high school, I lied to my parents like it was going out of style. For years, when I wanted money, I would just go in to my parent's bedroom and take a few bucks out off of my dad's dresser, or out of his wallet. (Don't worry, I found Jesus, and they know.) Not only that, but I had no problem with telling my parents that I was spending the night at a friend's house if I was really going on a camping trip, or that I cut my lip helping a buddy move furniture, when really I had been punched in the face - both true stories!

This afternoon, I read a really interesting article called "Learning to Lie." It talked about how, from a very young age, children (and then teens) use lying as a way to exert power and avoid consequences, and often without a glimmer of remorse. Here's a clip:

"The most disturbing reason children lie is that parents teach them to... they see us tell the telemarketer 'I'm a guest here,' They see us boast and lie to smooth social relationships... Encouraged to tell so many white lies and hearing so many others, children gradually get comfortable with being disingenuous. Insincerity becomes, literally, a daily occurrence. They learn that honesty only creates conflict, and dishonesty is an easy way to avoid conflict."

Working with students, I have seen a lot of lying, but I need to realize that I need to remove the plank from my own eye to truly call out and remedy the rampant dishonesty that pervades the culture of our youth, and all the more so the culture of us "adults." My we speak the truth in love, and let it set us free, no matter how much it hurts. See you soon.

Read the article here: Learning to Lie
[ht yPulse]