Lie #1

And so begins the list of lies.

I honestly feel that these are lies we believe unknowingly and sometimes, unquestioningly.

We know some of the obvious ones:
For example, "Money makes people happy."  Most of us recognize this as a lie, even if we don't all live in that reality.

I want to expose more subtle lies; the ones that creep into us and control our thoughts and actions.  I imagine many of these lies come from the world, and the father of lies himself.  When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies (John 8:44).

So here is lie #1:

I will get to see my children grow up.




Doubt was cast on this lie after the death of our second daughter, Camille, through stillbirth.   It was a blow, but also a lesson.  The pain has diminished, but the gained perspective remains: my eyes were opened and I started to pay attention to some of my preconceived notions.  And I began writing the List of Lies.

I may be mowed over by a snow plow during tomorrow's run (and sadly you'd all be deprived of the 'lies' I have reserved for future blog posts). My daughter may be diagnosed with cancer next week, and die before she sees the other side of 16.

Multiple different faiths document in their scriptures a righteous Hebrew man named Job, who suffered the death of nearly his entire family. The Bible gives no guarantee that we will see our children grow up. (Granted, Job was exonerated and blessed with a new family and "after this, Job lived a hundred and forty years; he saw his children and their children to the fourth generation." -Job 42:16)

David sings about this in Psalm 128 (NIV):
4 Yes, this will be the blessing
for the man who fears the LORD.
5 May the LORD bless you from Zion;
may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem
all the days of your life.
6 May you live to see your children’s children—
peace be on Israel.

Was it a promise?  A guarantee?  Honestly, I don't think so.  Fast forward several centuries:  The New Testament depicts a lead character who dies before His time (think J-e-s-u-s).  God did not spare even His own Son. 

I will get to see my children grow up.
Is this is a lie of the world?

How could it change our thoughts, actions, and behaviors if we live in the daily awareness that our kids may depart this earth prematurely, or that we may die unexpectedly?