Full Disclosure

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In real estate you have to provide a "disclosure form" when you sell your property.  It is a list of everything that was wrong or is wrong with your house.

For instance. In our current home the disclosure revealed termite damage.  So before we closed on the house we had an expert crawl under the house, look at the damage and look at the "corrective action" of the damage. In the end, it checked out "Okay."

But in life, I have to confess, I am a bit of a hypocrite.

I know that "full disclosure" is necessary for those confessing crimes, reporting abuse, revealing addiction.

But at other times, full disclosure is a hassle and creates more hassle.

In the world of "criminal thinking" nuanced responses that have "some" truth, some hidden (but pertinent) facts, and some misdirection are the most effective kinds of deceptions. Straight fabricated lies can be found out, but partial truths based in some real events can be debated.

Bill Clinton is the perfect example.  Slick Willy told a billion people (and I quote), "I never had sexual relations with that woman, and I never lied."

Now, we all found out that he had, in-fact (according to the definition of "sexual relations" in the minds of 99.9% of the people in the world) had participated in those "types" of relations and that he had lied.  It was glaringly obvious to EVERYONE in the world with a brain.  So how could someone so smart and so public tell such a bold-faced lie?

Well, let's look at it from President Clinton's perspective.  Technically..in a strictly biological sense...no, he had not "officially engaged' in "sexual intercourse."  He had done everything else, including some other disturbing activities that came out (so to speak) during the deposition, but the actual "let's make a baby" activity had not (strictly speaking) happened.

And the "I never lied" statement, from Willy's perspective, was also, technically true.  He did say, "I had an inappropriate relationship...it was wrong." and in his mind, he was all good.  He compartmentalized his mind to where he could say those things with passion and feel justified without looking (or feeling) guilty.

Is President Clinton so different from some of our responses to questions we don't want to answer?

Well...yes.

Most of us don't have that extreme of an ego to lie to the world when we know we are COMPLETELY hit.  But we may be kind of like that...a bit.

"How are you today?" It is a social question no one wants to answer and no one wants answered.  It is a social formality.  So when we respond in the expected way, "Fine" when we are not "fine" are we lying?

We have all sorts of societal call-and-response rituals:

CALL: "How do you like my new shirt?"
RESPONSE: "Love it!"

CALL: "How is your food?"
RESPONSE: "Great!"

(and my new retail store favorite)

CALL: "Did you find everything all right?"
RESPONSE: "Yes, thank you."

I gotta tell you, in my little blog here, I don't fully disclose. I don't want to do it and quite frankly, you don't want to hear it.

I imagine The Lord is the only true place for full disclosure:

1.) Not only does He already know everything we've ever done, He has first-hand knowledge.  He was there in all of our "stuff" and will be there in the rest of our "stuff." He's not surprised, shocked, or caught off guard. He knows even the intentions of our hearts...better than we know our hearts.

2.) He knows His own power. He knows His own ability to forgive. He knows the depths of His own love.  He knows there is nothing that can overwhelm His forgiveness. He does not have a dilemma of what to do.  He knows the solution.

3.) He has a great desire to forgive.  He wishes no one to perish.  He longs to bring healing and hope and real wholeness.  He is not put off bu our yuck (see #s 1 & 2)

So today at Church someone I love comes to me and asks, "How're you feeling?" I don't say, "My hip hurts worse to than when I started going to the chiropractor and I have a headache and I feel like a failure in all areas of my life and I want a cup of coffee and my general mood dip has come a month early and I need o get a prostate exam and my ears are ringing." I say, "Good." Which is he right and appropriate thing to say, and actually true-because the rest of that stuff is mouse-poop.

I just typed "mouse-poop." Awesome.

chris