Ephesians 4:25 Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body.

Yesterday afternoon my wife took Justin, Katelyn and several of their friends to the Prince William County Fair. Now, I recognize that the county fair is not for everyone, but for us it’s a kind of end-of-summer tradition: see the animals, drop in to view the art, photography and craft contests, eat some food, ride some rides, and then go home. We don’t expect it to be like King’s Dominion or Busch Garden; and so setting our expectations predictably low, we are rarely disappointed. As our kids get older we know that they will probably lose interest, but for Katelyn and Justin it’s still a great experience.

Tuesday was $2 admission day and the ride tickets were equally discounted, so Pam purchased a few tickets for the kids and turned them loose on the rides (with proper adult supervision, of course) to have a good time. The old-fashioned mechanical swings, the bumper cars, and a twirly ride called the Viper were big hits. As the afternoon was coming to a close and everyone was slurping down their melting ice cream cones, most of the children found that they had a ticket left for one final ride. 

“How about the slide?” someone suggested. It seemed tame in comparison with all the glitz and glamour of the other amusements, but something about the simplicity of climbing the steps, sitting on a burlap sack and riding the slippery slope to the bottom had an appeal. The children headed over towards the slide with ticket in hand. 

“How many times can they go on this?” My wife asked the attendant as the children queued up.  

“As many times as they like,” she responded. “They just have to get back in line when they get off.” The possibility of riding the ride multiple times with one ticket sealed the deal. The children turned in their ticket, climb the stairs and enjoyed the rapid slide to the bottom. Breathless and smiling they picked up their burlap mats, got back in line, and attempted to climb the stairs again. “You’ll need a ticket” said the attendant, stopping them. Crestfallen looks. 

“Whoa, whoa, whoa” my wife interjected,” you said that they could ride this as many times as they wanted. It’s only a 5 second ride!” 

“They can” the attendant insisted,”but they need a ticket.” A small self-satisfied grin played at the corners of her mouth.

Have you ever poured gasoline on a campfire? Well, even though I wasn’t there, I have a mental picture of what this next part must have looked like.

“Obviously, you can ride again if you have a ticket” my wife said, her voice rising. “You can ride any ride in the park for a ticket. But that’s not what I asked.”  And my wife went on to explain in no uncertain terms exactly what she had meant. 

The attendant offered no apology or explanation.”I think you misunderstood me.” was all she said, as that smug smile continued to play in the background. 

“I don’t think so, I think you intended to deceive me.” Pam retorted as she walked away with a very disappointed group of children. There was no mistaking what had just happened. After contemplating her options, my wife just decided to let it go, all the wiser from tangling with a traveling amusement park attendant.

It was a great lesson for the kids.  “We’re not going to let someone’s lie ruin our nice day.”  Pam instructed the kids.  But lies hurt; there’s just no way around it.

As people of the light, we are called to truth, even if it is personally painful or disappointing to others. Sometimes in our desire to be liked or look good, we shade and distort. Sometimes in an effort to control or persuade we exaggerate or even fabricate.  Let’s walk worthy of our calling (Ephesians4:1).  Let’s tell the truth and reflect the true heart of our Father.