The Whole Truth?

I emerged from our pop-up camper just as my husband pulled something from his wallet. Jim grinned. “Can you use this?”

Wow! Fifty dollars! “Sure.” Just what I needed to take out four grandchildren out to lunch and mini-golfing. “Thanks.”

I folded the bill twice and stuffed it deep into the pocket of my blue knit shorts.

Jim frowned. “Better put that in a safe place so you don’t lose it.”

Lose it? Did he think I was a child? I patted my pocket. “It’ll be fine right here,” I said, and hurried up the camp site hill to help my granddaughter set up her tent.

Later, I reached in my pocket to put the $50 in my purse. My heart leapt to my throat, and my knees nearly buckled. My pocket was empty.

I quickly revisited every area of our camp site I had gone to since Jim had given me the money. I had to find it before he found out it was missing.

Finally in defeat, I stood at the top of the hill and prayed. “Lord, you were trying to protect me through Jim, and I ignored you both. Please forgive me and help me find that money.”

I made the rounds again. Again without results. At the bottom of the hill and behind the camper, I bowed my head. My conscience pricked me. My wrong ran deeper than simple pride or disobedience. Though I had long ago given up telling outright lies, wasn’t I lying right now by hiding the truth from my husband?

I went to him. “Jim, I lost the $50.”

To my amazement, he calmly helped me look for the money. When I opened a folded camp chair, out dropped the $50 bill.

How easy it is to talk ourselves into not telling the whole truth in order to keep the peace, save face, or simply urge life on as we believe it should go. But neither outright lies nor keeping the truth from someone who has the right to know honors God. In all our daily choices, he gives us a gentle reminder.

Focus: “You must live in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ.”~ Philippians 1:27, New Living Translation.

How about you? Have you ever been tempted to make life easier by not telling the whole truth? How did that work for you?