Lying is a big deal at our house. I hate when kids lie. I want our kids to know that telling the truth is very important. You can see why a few weeks ago I was appalled at myself when I straight up lied to a friend. I mean we do this all the time, don't we? We do little lies and don't think much of them.
The other day my friend sent me a text to see if I still had her humidifier.
Of course I had it. It was in Story's room that moment spraying cool mist to help her breathe. I felt bad because I had borrowed it a year ago and never returned it. In fact I stored it, and then brought it down to use again, knowing it was hers.
I texted back. “Let me look if I still have it”. In fact I think I actually texted … “let me go look in the kids closet.”
I knew I had it. It was in my kids room.
I texted back. I found it and would bring it down.
This is about the time the Holy Spirit started working on me. I had straight up lied to her. I knew where it was. I was using it. I told her I didn't know. I knew. ugh. Ugly heart.
I was driving down to her house, knowing what I had to do. I got out of car and as I walked towards her I nearly started crying. I told her that I needed to confess something to her. She listened. I confessed. I told her the whole story and that I had just lied so that I didn't have to tell her that of course I had it, and had been using it all along.
I felt silly for confessing such a thing as lying. I mean I'm 33 year old, I should really be able to say whatever I want. I mean it's not like I'm lying about my tax returns, or who I love or anything. It was just a humidifier.
That's just it. I needed to confess. I needed her forgiveness and she gave it to me. She said “I forgive you and I'm sorry you lied too.” It felt good to confess. It felt good to be honest before her and before God for something so trivial in my mind.
Isn't it funny that we adults struggle with the same silly things little kids do.
Ugh. I do this all the time. Just manipulate the truth to sound better…and sometimes I don’t confess because it was stupid in the first place. If I’d just said what I should have said then…stupid evil heart. Glad to know I’m not the only out there. 🙂