Have you ever lied to protect a friend? For example, have you ever been in love with the same person as your best friend? And did you lie about it because you didn't want her to be hurt or jealous or feel threatened? Didn't want it to drive you apart? Did you ever love someone so much that you glow inside just to think of him? Did you ever neglect something important in your life because you were afraid of letting it out? Have you seen the path in front of you that you much desired to take, but didn't because someone else might get hurt? Have you?

Have you ever been afraid of someone you love? Have you ever loved the sort of person who confides in you because they trust you? Have you ever loved a friend so much, even when she would show her emotional claws and fangs because you knew they were only there because of her scars? Have you ever loved a friend so much, even when she would say mean things about other people she was intimidated by...old roommates and friends from high school...and looked away because you accept her faults along with all you love about her? Have you ever had a sister that wasn't your sister? I say again, have you ever loved someone who confides in you, who trusts you...and lied to them because you didn't want to hurt them?

Have you ever said mean things about someone you were in love with, behind their back, to hold up the wall of deceit that you'd built? And then did she confront him with her feelings, while you stayed silent? And did she confide in you how she loved him, every word like a dagger in your heart for weeks and weeks and weeks, never ending? And yet, when she was crushed because he did not feel the same way, did you do your best to comfort her?

Did you run from your feelings because the whole situation was too big and too complicated? Did you use someone else as a safehaven, as a wall, as an excuse to not feel what was truly in your heart? Did you run from your feelings, build a wall in between you and them, and then, by lying to everyone...even to yourself...begin to believe that those feelings were not behind that wall?

Did it torture you to do so? Did the whole situation torture you?


And then, finally, did you turn your eyes toward the heavens, praying to your Father for some sort of direction in this mess? And then, did you go to his church, the Harvest, and hear the Word preached about how you need to be honest with God and with others? Did you learn it is not good to hide everything in fear and shame like Adam and Eve hid? Did that wall come tumbling down on you? But then, when you were free from the rubble of a messed up situation, did you know, for certain that your one true love is Jesus Christ who saved you? And did you know that His Truth and His Glory are the only things that truly matter? And then did you know that you have purpose in this life far beyond the reaches of this fear? And do you know that God has a plan for you that maybe doesn't have anything to do with this guy or this girl, these friends? And do you know that when you fall in love and you do not love for your own gain that it glorifies God? And do you know that you love both of your friends and they deserve to know the truth of what is in your heart because just as you want to be close to God, and are honest with God you want to be close to both of them and can't because you've been lying and deceitful even though it was well meaning it was wrong and you have to tell them and ...

You tell her. And she is stung. And it hurts her to her core. And you are so ashamed of your lies to her that you just want to die.

But then, do you remember that there is a purpose, that God's truth is in honesty and that He has set the place and the time, and that He has said, "Do not dwell in the darkness of your lies anymore. Tell the truth, be free of this. Live in my love, child of God. The peacemakers are children of God. You cannot be a peacemaker until you have peace within yourself."

And then you realize that love is good. That she should be highly honored because you carried such a burden on her behalf for so long to protect her because you loved her. She should be even more highly honored that you love her so much you will face the thing that has been haunting you for months. And so should he.