When Did it Become Popular to Lie?

I never got caught up in the now pervasive culture of lying when I was a teen.  It's everywhere, and most people don't even realize it anymore.  Youth are talking about how "real" or "fake" their peers are, and most have totally different personas around their friends than they do family.  When did it become okay to allow children to have split personalities, and even encourage this behavior?  ("Oh, isn't that cute?", "It's just a phase...", "Relax, it's a trend.", etc.)You may wonder why this is even a concern of mine when I don't even have children yet.  I'll tell you why.

I will have children.  And those children, like others, grow into adults.  Those adults practice what they always have.  And if their background is one of deceit, they will carry the principle into all areas of life.  Even if they remained true to self, they may have been targeted by others, and have trust issues as a result.  You may not understand what I'm talking about, but I'll clarify in a minute.

Teens, and even younger children, are being subjected to a materialistic culture where values have been abandoned in favor of appearances.  If you're not using the latest terminology or wearing the newest fashions, you're not accepted by the self-appointed elite of the high school (or even middle school) community.  Where do adolescents pick up these 'values'?  Media.  Possibly even parents.  Why is it detrimental?  Because we are teaching our children, either actively or passively (by not addressing the issue), that they must reinvent themselves at the drop of a hat to be accepted.  Biblically, we know that the Lord looks upon the heart, not the external appearances or the particular phrasing used in prayer (1 Sam 16:7, Matt. 6:7).  Society has separated biblical values so far from the media that the youth are being inundated with trash instead of truth.

When the youth grow into adulthood, it is the parents' responsibility to have lain a foundation for them to build upon (Prov. 22:6).  Unless they know that the focus should be on their character, they will be afraid to be who they really are. Think about it.  We have taboo topics about faith, love, and compassion.  American culture has us brainwashed into believing that we must be politically correct to avoid offense, but Christianity can be undermined with no problem.  Love has been reduced to casual sex and cohabiting "to get to know the person," and compassion comes off as "being soft."  People now specify who is "keeping it 100%" as if it is expected for everyone else to be liars.  Satan has duped the majority of Americans into isolating themselves from the true joy of Jesus Christ.  We are collectively motivated by fear or selfishness (and if you think not, think of how often you wonder if this or that would be offensive or how things have certainly changed since you were X age). 

I have a passion for the youth.  It burns fervently, and I am determined to wake them up from the fog of lies that the adversary is perpetuating without resistance.  There are consequences for every action, and Jesus Christ has paid those consequences for us, if we will only have faith to trust in Him!   Through the freedom of Christ, we are not bound through false "liberties." (Think: freedom of religion, freedom of speech, the right to bear arms, and I could go on and on...)  Our freedoms through Christ are not governed and are irrevocable.  We have the freedom of eternal life, the right of perfect health, the privilege of prosperity, and the joy of a relationship with our Savior and Creator (Gal. 5:1)!

Faith, according to Hebrews 11:1, is not seen.  The Bible says the just shall live by faith (Hebrews 10:38, Habakkuk 2:4).  Fear is the opposite of faith.  A good acronym for fear is False Evidence Appearing Real.  It is believing those circumstances rather than the word of God. Think of how many times the bible tells us to "Fear not." Faith is the title deed to what we believe.  We can't see it, but it is what we live by.  Without faith, we cannot please God (Hebrews 11:6).  Why is faith so important?

Faith is how we receive salvation.  When we are saved, it is a great gift of grace.  We literally live by faith in the grace of God.  From then forward, when God looks at us, He sees only the cleansing blood of Jesus Christ covering our sins.  We are no longer filthy and dead (2 Cor 5:21).  We are not of this world.  We have purpose.  And purpose is what our culture lacks.  It is what the adversary fears.  Satan knows that if Christians unite in purpose, he can never succeed (Eph. 4).  Truth scares him, and when truth goes forth in the name of Jesus Christ, it is a weapon to be feared (Heb. 4:12).

Who will join me in spreading the Truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ?  I refuse to stand and let society's influence and focus on appearances overwhelm and deny the youth their inheritance of liberty, health, wealth, and, most importantly, an eternal relationship with the Lord God.