“The naked truth is always better than the best-dressed lie.”
Ann Landers
During a recent meeting with our small group, we discussed C.S. Lewis’s incredible work, “The Great Divorce.” (and one of my other C.S. Lewis favorites, “The Screwtape Letters.”)
During the conversation, we discussed truth and the depth of deception the enemy uses to pull us from His path. One of the other group members shared one of the most enlightening and profound things I have heard of late: “The best lies are 99% true.” Isn’t that powerful? We believe—no, we WANT to believe the stories we create in our minds. Most of those stories aren’t outright lies. They are mainly true; if something is mostly true, it must be okay. Right?
I’ve been thinking about this lately and asking myself these questions when wrestling with meaty challenges that aren’t cleanly black or white.
- What is the 1% lie in this story that I could be falling for?
- Am I perpetuating a 1% lie to someone else?
- Do I WANT this to be true, or is it?
Perception is complex, and we will always have varying degrees of truth based on our understanding of facts and events. The real question is whether or not we are complicit in creating the lie we choose to believe.
