Who's Your Daddy?

I am telling you what I have seen in the Father’s presence, and you are doing what you have heard from your father. “Abraham is our father,” they answered. “If you were Abraham’s children,” said Jesus, “then you would do what Abraham did. As it is, you are looking for a way to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. Abraham did not do such things. You are doing the works of your own father.” “We are not illegitimate children,” they protested. “The only Father we have is God himself.” Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I have come here from God. I have not come on my own; God sent me. Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say. You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. Yet because I tell the truth, you do not believe me! Can any of you prove me guilty of sin? If I am telling the truth, why don’t you believe me? Whoever belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God.” John 8:38-47 NIV

Truth is truth and a lie is lie and a liar is liar. There is no way to "pretty up ugliness from within." A common phrase known by many is, "beauty is only skin deep," and if that's true, when ugly hits the surface, we know ugliness dwells in the depths of a person's soul.

You see, I'm not referring to a person's looks, but their attitude and behavior. I've known some very "unattractive" people by "people standards" who were the most beautiful people I've ever met. And then I've known some attractive people who were downright ugly.

A person's beauty or ugliness has nothing to do with their physical appearance as far as I'm concerned; nor do I waste my time trying to determine if a newborn looks like its mother or father--a newborn baby looks like a newborn baby--lovable.

But then we grow up and as babies grow and develop--their physical features sharpen, their personality is revealed and for the most part, what we see in a seven year-old is what we'll see in a seventy-year old if there is no discipline in the child's life.

For the most part, the frontal lobe of our brains are not fully developed until we're somewhere between the ages of 23-25 years--give or take a few years. That's the time we can rationally and logically develop clear and coherent thinking skills and act accordingly. When we see irrational behavior in an adult from ages 26 upwards--we can conclude (accurately in most cases) that there was some developmental delay in the brain or in an older person, brain cells are diminishing or malfunctioning.

From a biological and physiological perspective, when a person's brain is malfunctioning they have difficulty understanding right from wrong and truth from lies. From a spiritual perspective--either they know and acknowledge God as their Father and speak truth, or they acknowledge the devil is their daddy and speak lies.

We have the son of the devil living in the White House--whether it is #45 or the puppeteer encouraging him to do stupid is anyone's guess. But when #45 claims to be a Christian--he lies--there is no evidence--no fruit of such an occurrence ever happening. But there is more than enough evidence to find him guilty of being the devil's son. The lies, the lack of empathy, the callousness, the craving to rule others when there is no evidence he can discipline himself.

Think about it! That's exactly how the devil acts--always trying to influence people to do evil, thinking he can rule God's kingdom, and manipulating others into thinking the way he thinks. And those who are easily influenced, are misled and eventually brought to destruction because they allowed evil to guide them, instead of truth.

Now, Jesus is Truth and He is the Son of God, therefore God is Truth. If God is our Father, we should want to speak and live truth. If the devil is our father, we will speak and live lies. So, who's your daddy? Do you look like your father? Do you act like your father? Speaking truth whether people want to hear it or not--indicates you belong to God. Speaking lies just to get people on your side--indicates you belong to the devil. You know who you belong to--and so does God. And your attitude and behavior--is a revelation for all who pay attention to you.

Lord, help all of Your children to be more like You on a daily basis. Create in us a desire to submit to You and resist the devil and all of his temptations so he'll flee from us. Keep us strengthened by Your love and encouraged through Holy Spirit to stay in the battle until victory is won over evil.