CAUGHT IN A LIE

Jesus, help me remember that it's easier to tell the truth than try to get away with a lie! Amen.

As Jesus was dying on the cross, people made fun of Him. Even a criminal crucified at the same time yelled, "Save yourself and us!" But another criminal said, "Shut up! We're getting what we deserve, but He didn't do anything wrong." Then he said to Jesus, "Remember me in heaven." Jesus promised, "You'll be there with me."

Every kid knows it's wrong to lie, but you've probably tried it anyway. If you're like a lot of kids, you were caught right away: A parent or teacher looked at you suspiciously and said, "You're lying," and you couldn't deny it.

Sometimes, the truth is written all over your face. That was the case in this week's Gospel (Luke 23:35-43), when someone looked at Jesus being crucified and just knew the truth: Jesus was innocent and being killed for no reason.

How do your parents or teacher know you're lying? One reason might be that YOU know you're lying. You're not comfortable with the lie you're telling because you know it's wrong, so you squirm and look away.

Jesus knew He was telling the truth, and it showed. He knew He wasn't a criminal -- so, when a real criminal looked at Jesus, it was clear that Jesus wasn't lying.

Admitting what's true is only the first step. If you confess to your parents or another adult that you've lied, it's also important to apologize, tell the truth and accept the consequences.

The criminals Jesus met were a great example of this: They were being crucified alongside Him for their crimes; but, when one of them admitted to Jesus that he'd sinned and asked forgiveness, Jesus forgave him on the spot and even promised he'd go to heaven.

Admitting you're wrong is a lot better than getting caught in a lie!

11/22/07