Tell me lies, tell me sweet little lies....

I was in the car for about 15 hours over the last few days, so listened to a range of CDs, including some Christian worship albums, a CD by a Scottish accordion player called Gary Innes*, the second/last Daniel Bedingfield album and a compilation of great rock ballads, which are good for driving to.
I was listening to the rock ballads, when a song by Fleetwood Mac came on with the words "Tell me lies, tell me sweet little lies". That got me thinking about how familiar and popular songs can really affect and warp our idea of what relationships are really like.
This song suggests that the singer would rather be told "I love you" even if it's a lie, than hear the truth. What a poor basis for a relationship.
One thing that I have learnt is that lies are always destructive. When you discover that someone you trust has lied to you, it makes you question what they say in future. You find yourself thinking, "Is that really what happened, or is he/she just saying that?" Trust can be rebuilt, but it takes a lot longer to rebuild than it did to destroy it in the first place.
Honesty isn't always easy either. What do you say when your partner buys an abysmal shirt, or gets a shocking new hair style?
What do you say when your relationship has been going through a bad patch and you are not sure if you still love your partner any more?
Blunt honesty can be cruel, but in the end lies are crueller, as they add the hurt of being deceived over a long period to the hurt of the truth that was being concealed in the first place.
As usual, God has an answer in the verses often read at weddings. "Love does not delight in evil, but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres." 1 Corinthinans 13 verse 6


* Gary and his band are really worth listening too- http://uk.myspace.com/garyinnes