Full Disclosure
“Investigate my life, O God, find out everything about me; Cross-examine and test me, get a clear picture of what I’m about; See for yourself whether I’ve done anything wrong— then guide me on the road to eternal life.” (Psalms 139: 23-24 MSG)
If you’ve watched the news lately all the politicians want full disclosure, unless a disclosure makes one of them look bad. Everybody wants an investigation, unless an investigation turns up some facts that turn the table, and then they want it shut down, or they start a fake news report to put their spin on it. If you are like me, you would like to know the truth … the real truth. But can we get the real and total truth now days? Can we get unedited, unfiltered, and unprejudiced truth from either political parties, or from opposing news services, or from the entertainment and celebrity crowd who wants us to think that just because they can act, they have an insight that we don’t have?
(Talk about acting like someone else? Some of those folks deserve an academy award for representing intelligence, when they are as ignorant as a doorpost)
What about the next generation?
I don’t think we can trust many of those voices, and the majority of Gen-Xers, Millennials, and Gen-Zs that I talk to are more distrusting than previous generations. Why should they trust those voices? They’ve been raised in a spin-zone all of their life. Who would? But I have also discovered this about those generations. Even though they have been taught
"there is no absolute truth, and truth is what you want it to be," they are looking for someone who represents honesty and integrity and truth. They want to know there is someone who is real, and a person where there are no surprises. They want to know there is a truthful man and woman out there. But they are not the only one who wants such a person. God is looking for this person as well.
What does God's Word say?
In the passage I’ve referenced King David, the writer, spilled his heart out before God. He knew that he had been a ruthless warrior. He had blood on his hands, and a record of deceit and lies in his history, even with his loyal friends. But he had been forgiven from all the sins that he had recognized and repented of. Now he wanted to keep that slate clean, for he knew the vulnerability he would have from a broken relationship with God. The risk was just too great to live outside the protection of his Shepherd. Have you ever realized how vulnerable you and your family might be when you live a life of deceit, or separation from God’s protection? There is a consequence where many regrets follow.
I find it interesting that David asked God to examine him. Why would he do this, for it could be painful? I think it is because David knew like most of us, he could lie so effectively to himself that he could cover up a lie, and forget it was there. But he also knew that God is a Holy God who knows it is there, and it creates a hindrance in his fellowship with Him if it remains. It creates a hindrance in our relationship and God's blessings to us because God will not abide with lies and deceit, for He is holy. However, being a merciful God He will help us understand this by allowing some desperate consequences to surface in our life, in hopes we turn back to Him … that we repent and find His forgiveness. He wants things right with Him and His child. But He is holy, and we must always respect this.
So why did David ask God to search him and point out anything that stood in between their relationship? It was because David wanted to know the truth. He wanted full disclosure. He was less afraid of a truth that could be repented of and forgiven than a lie that was hidden from him and would hurt his fellowship with God. He knew the truth would set him free, just like Jesus promised it would.
What do we do?
I have discovered that we live in a world of lies and there is a reason. The world is under the influence of the Father of Lies. But over him and his influence is the One who gives us the truth and who wants us to know the truth. Jesus Himself said that the truth will set us free from the Father of Lies and his influence (John 8:31). So why not ask God to reveal anything that hinders your intimacy with Him? Ask Him, like David did, to lead you to the truth, and to help you no longer carry something that debilitates your spiritual health. He will clean you up and will also set you up for something that is very special. You see, it is in this place of spiritual surgery and regeneration that a real man of honesty and integrity is birthed. The world is looking for just such a guy, and you can be this guy. But it starts with you getting honest with God, and it goes from there. Ask for full disclosure, for the truth will set you free.
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