Truth, Lies, and everything in between

The cover story for the October 2008 issue of ec had to do with the lies of the world we accept for truth. The story was born out of a discussion of Romans 1: 21-25.

And apparently, God still wants me to learn something from those words Paul wrote to the Roman believers so long ago.

See, we edited this issue months ago. I dug deep in the Scripture and edited the stories and wanted you all to see the truth of God at work on the pages of the magazine. And then I moved on to the next issue and the next and the next. Romans was just a distant memory.

Until last week, when the verse popped up again in a Bible study I'm doing with a group at my church. The whole week of study last week had to do with lies I'm buying into that while not seemingly bad things are pulling my focus from God. Things like dating relationships, friendships, finances, and being right. None of those things are wrong, per se, but sometimes, in my world, they wrestle first place from God. Instead of pursuing God, His standard, and His righteousness, I find myself running after people, idealized relationships, more money, stuff I want to buy, and the right to say "I told you so" and feel superior to everyone around me.

The world likes to tell me that I'm the most important person in my life. That my dreams, wishes, hopes, and needs come before anyone else's. God's Word tells me that the greatest command is to love Him. The second isn't to make myself important; it's to love others, to give myself up.

So today, a day when I'm full of self-pity and fear, my prayer isn't that I pursue all the seemingly good things the world has set before me. It's that I pursue the things I know God values and that I serve others. It's time to stop believing the lies!
—Mandy