All this week, I'm sharing classic archived blog entries from a couple years ago. They are a series of stories and situations I encountered in my various travels through Africa when I was younger. So don't be confused if you are expecting poker, I will return to poker subjects after this week.
"How often do the situations we are in dictate the veracity of your words? To survive in society we often 'shade the truth'. When people we encounter ask us things, how often do we tell them the absolute truth? It is only natural to tell little white lies. It often just avoids conflict. We do it sometimes because its none of their business to know, or we wish to hide the truth because we fear their reaction. Its definitely a necessary part of co-existing in society, whether it be with strangers you meet in everyday life or your family and closest friends.
How do these decisions to 'shade the truth' affect us in the long run? Where do you draw the line in your life? It can be a slippery slope where it could be argued why ever tell the truth if it doesn't serve our purpose. But what kind of life is that? There really is no easy answer. Each person has to answer it for themself, but I think its good to think about these situations.
I'll use one of my experiences from my semester abroad in Kenya years ago to illustrate an example. We had a long Easter weekend off, so most students made plans to do some travelling around the country. A few of my friends had pre-planned to climb Mt. Kenya in a group. They had all packed back in the states special cold weather gear for the second tallest peak in Africa ascent. I hadn't wanted to pack all that gear for just that one weekend so I made alternate plans to hitchhike around Mt. Kenya with a girl name Lani. We accompanied our friends up to the launch point to meet their guides and then ventured off on our own.
It was very scenic circumnavigating the mountain on the ring road and visiting Isiolo, a true frontier town on the edge of northern Kenya wilderness. We had spent Saturday night in Nyeri and were heading south Sunday morning on our long journey back. We had noticed a lot of people in nice outfits along the main road but thought nothing much of it, when two young women came running up to us. They asked if we were American, we said yes. They said its Easter, you must come with us to church as all americans do. Backtracking a bit, Lani's last name was something like Weiss and I didn't go to church. But, we sensed a unique opportunity to experience something different, so we agreed to accompany the excited young Kikuyu women to their hilltop church.
The location and view from this church was unlike any i've ever been to before or since. We were on the slopes descending from Mt. Kenya and this church was at the top of one of the bulging hills with a view in all directions for many miles of green verdent farms and forests. In addition to the view, we were treated as honored guests being the only whites/foreigners attending. We were brought up to sit up with the pastor of this evangelical church. We looked out over the congregation and out the open air windows in all directions. It was a breathtaking view. The service was heavy on baptist style singing and preaching which was very moving, even for a jew and non believer.
At the culmination of the service, the pastor and entire congregation turned to us at once and asked us if we wanted to be 'saved'. Would we accept the lord jesus christ to be our lord and saviour? Now what do you say?
And who do you think said what in this circumstance. I had gone to church many times in my life, as my father is a born again christian with a strong faith. Lani was a practicing Jew who was respected amongst the students for her beliefs. In that moment, I stood up for what I believed and said NO, she quickly followed that up with a resounding YES. The congregation momentarily stunned by my rejection had burst into celebration and applause when Lani said yes. She was brought to the Pastor and commited herself in front of everyone. She was a 'hit'. The service ended shortly after that and as the congregation spilled out of the church they surrounded Lani to give praise and congratulations. I was shunned and relegated off to the side. What had begun as an incredible experience had become very awkward because I hadn't acquiesced to the circumstances of the situation.
We said our goodbyes shortly thereafter and proceeded on our long journey back to Nairobi. Few words came up between us as I didn't want to interject tension or question her motives. We knew it was obvious that she hadn't converted. She had simply said a "lil white lie" in the face of a challenging situation and had been rewarded for it. I'm not passing judgement on her, because I understand her perspective. What would you do in that situation.
Life provides us endless opportunities to 'shade the truth'. I'm not saying how to handle these various situations, only that you give them the proper thought they deserve. Develop your own lines and limits. You will sleep better in all areas of your life when you get to a place where you are comfortable and somewhat consistent with these daily decisions."
