The danger is in believing the lie so long it becomes your truth.
We will all, on occasion, be tricked into believing lies. Sometimes this will be because the lies are well crafted and meant to deceive us (lies others tell us to advance an agenda), sometimes because it is convenient in the moment to accept them (lies we tell ourselves for protection, profit, or ease), and other times we believe lies because they just seem to make sense (lies we accept because we don’t know a competing truth to counter the lie).
So what?
I have heard it said that it doesn’t feel any different to be right or wrong until the moment you find out you were wrong. Then the discomfort begins.
Lies aren’t really dangerous until you begin to take action or make decisions based on them. Consuming a lie is pretty neutral and mostly outside your control. It’s what you do with the lie that matters.
A decision or series of decisions made on a foundation of lies will eventually have negative consequences.
It is vital to have a strategy for discernment to ensure lies don’t become your truth.
Here are a few things you can do to avoid letting lies become your truth.
Consume content from a wide variety of perspectives and sources. The more broad your view of a situation, the more willing you will likely be to challenge an idea, and the more confident you will be when you eventually discern the truth. I didn’t say consume a depth of the same content; I said to consume a broad cross-section of content. There is a huge difference between digging a six-inch wide hole that is fifty feet deep and digging a six-inch deep hole that is fifty feet wide. You will catch more in the fifty-foot wide hole.
Build a strong community that includes people you trust to challenge your thoughts and actions. Accountability and feedback are vital for successfully navigating life and discerning truth. Have people you can count on for both accountability and feedback. Even when they know, it will cause you discomfort.
Have your own core truths. A set of evaluated truths that guide everything else you believe and how you act. These core truths are non-negotiable, no matter the cost. It is better to identify them intentionally than figure them out through happenstance or luck.
Core beliefs are beliefs you are willing to suffer for to continue to believe or are willing to sacrifice to introduce others to them. One of my core truths is that all people are intentionally made and therefore matter and have value. This core truth impacts the way I live. Because of it, I try to be kind to everyone and have empathy for the experiences of others. Also, when I hear something that contradicts it, I don’t jump to change the truth; I slowly evaluate the new thing through the lens of truth.
Finally, commit to only spreading the truth. It may, from time to time, seem beneficial (easier, more profitable, more fun, more socially acceptable) to be loose with your words and the truth. Don’t let your gain lead to someone else’s pain.
Conclusion
Don’t beat yourself up when you believe a lie; it happens. But be diligent to avoid letting lies become a truth you take action on. Learn the habit of discernment and share what you learn with others.
A life of significance is deeply rooted in truth. The truth is that you are willing to sacrifice for and work hard to ensure lives on past you. If your life seems flat, maybe it’s because you haven’t built it on a firm foundation of truth.