"The Truth is never sexy," sings Derek Webb, the current artist in my CD player.
I've thought about it and I have to agree with him. When is truth ever seductive? It's rarely even attractive for one. We describe truth as "hard to tell" at times. We easily slip into the seduction of a lie, though. Truth never makes polite conversation and small talk. It doesn't curtsey. It never apologizes. It speaks plainly, not with great sophistication, beauty, or seduction. What about the truth is so "homely?"
I have a couple ideas, as you might imagine I would.
First, I think the Truth is never sexy because it convicts. We tell the truth about our actions instead of a lie and we feel the full weight of our transgression. We see the pain in a loved one's eyes. Or swap the situation. Your loved one tells you the truth -- s/he feels hurt by something you're habitually doing. The Truth causes you to face yourself. Why else would our culture have such a problem with denial? We don't want to be grouchy and certainly don't want to be told when we are. We don't want to be alcholics or face the spoken truth of the matter. We don't want to be told we disappoint someone. We don't want to face the truth.
In all fairness, Truth isn't always bad. Sometimes it's really great! Like when the person you've loved from afar confesses his/her love for you! You finally can tell the truth yourself and WOW is that great! Honesty lifts a great burden. But even when the truth is not a bad thing, we sometimes twist under the thought of telling it, not knowing how it will be taken. It's just not sexy.
Second, I think Truth has the power to bring conviction upon us. The spoken fact we privately deny hits us squarely in the head. Often, people react defensively, desperately trying to maintain their preferred construction of reality. Defending that can be pretty serious. Who wants to be told "You're eating too much" or the like? It brings conviction we can otherwise ignore through rationalization. Rationalization is sexy though. It's false freedom. It's ignorance. It's not Truth and we know it but double-think anyway.
When we respond to the conviction truth brings, two things can happen. We can either respond appropriately, mending our transgressions, or we can deny and become defensive. We can even become violently passionate defending our ways against Truth. Conviction is an unending cycle without something to interrupt it, though. It's a slave master causing us to rationalize for it, live with it, grow hardened toward the Truth, construct lies and denials. The only interruption of this cycle comes with Truth. It's Forgiveness.
Forgiveness, as I've written about it, is devoid of rationalizations and excuses. It squarely handles the problem and gives grace. It's freedom from debts and guilt. When we face a Truth about us, we can respond appropriately by correcting our ways and forgiving ourselves. The same pattern works for others who've hurt us and for when we hurt others. Forgiveness is better than a bandaid. Truth sets us free and forgiveness keeps us free.
From my world view, this plays out in an awesome way. The kind of sweeping forgiveness we need when faced with sweeping truths that can bring us to our knees only comes from Christ. Truth is no respector of persons or stations in life. Christ isn't either. That's why it works so well. It doesn't matter who you are or what you've done. Whatever the truth is, Christ responds, "I Am the Truth." The Truth sets us free through forgiveness. Complete forgiveness. Forgiveness is a product of love and comes from the Father, the lover of our souls. God is love and that is how he forgives. A price was paid for your forgiveness so that Truth might set you free."