My kids and I get a kick out of watching those YouTube videos in which an interviewer asks random young people on a busy street or a college campus simple, elementary questions. Evidently, questions like, “How many states are in the United States?”; or “What is 3×3?” are too complex for more Americans than I thought possible. In recent years these man/woman-on-the-street interviews have taken an unexpected turn. Instead of just asking easy trivia questions, some are asking questions that used to be basic, accepted-truth questions, but now the answers are up for grabs. For example, an interviewer will go to a college campus and ask someone to define what a woman is. Or perhaps how many genders there are. Or if someone can be something/someone just by declaring it so. The verbal gymnastics people will go through either not giving a firm answer or giving an answer they know is false (but fits the cultural narrative) would be entertaining if it weren’t so sad (and honestly, frustrating).

It’s the time we are living in. Just this morning I was listening to a podcast in which a PE teacher in California was fired because she would not lie to parents if their child came to her struggling with gender identity. She also told the district she would not allow biological males into the female locker room. I remember when lying to parents or allowing boys into the girls’ locker rooms would get a teacher fired. And yet, here we are. The school district told her they could not accommodate her religious beliefs. Even 10 years ago (maybe 5!) there wouldn’t have been a controversy over asking or answering questions about basic gender truths or keeping biological males out of female locker rooms. And it’s not that we are any smarter than we were a decade ago, nor smarter than every single generation and culture before us.

We just aren’t interested in truth anymore. Lies are attempting to win the day.

We were warned this time would come, but who among us believed we would live to see it? The Bible is clear about what the end times will be like (yes, I believe based on scripture we are rapidly approaching the end, and I couldn’t be more excited). Second Timothy 3:1-5 says in the last days, “People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— having a form of godliness but denying its power.” These characteristics are not new, they’ve been a part of every generation, but they have become exceedingly more common and instead of being reprimanded are now being celebrated.

I think it’s important to remember we have always been heading in this direction. None of this should be a surprise. It was coming for some generation, why not ours? But even as I write those words, I admit I’m surprised almost every day at the state of our world. I’m pretty much in a constant mental tug-of-war between “how can this be?!” and “yes, this is what the Lord told us would happen.” And I know I’m not the only one.

Why are we afraid to speak truth to this lying world?

John 9 provides an example that sums up what is still true today. In this chapter, Jesus had just given sight to a man born blind. Since Jesus healed this man on the Sabbath (as Jesus seemed to enjoy doing), the religious elite were furious and even questioned if the man had ever really been blind, so they sent for the man’s parents. They asked his parents, “Is this the one you say was born blind? How is it that now he can see?”

The parents, knowing the truth, replied instead with their own verbal gymnastics, “We know he is our son, and we know he was born blind. But how he can see now, or who opened his eyes, we do not know. Ask him, he is of age. He will speak for himself.” If we are wondering why they answered that way, we don’t have to wonder long. The very next sentence tells us they were illusive in their answer because they were afraid the religious elite would ban them from the synagogue (John 9:1-23).

The Gospels also tell of Peter lying when asked if he’s one of Jesus’ disciples (Matthew 26:69-75; John 18:17). Peter had been eager to be Jesus’ right-hand man and even cut off the ear of one of the guards who arrested Jesus (John 18:10). But when it was evident the people were against Jesus after His arrest, Peter lied about his association with Him because he was afraid. He didn’t even twist words, he outright lied, saying, “I don’t know the man!”

In both examples, the parents and Peter bowed to their fear – fear of the leaders and their peers – instead of bowing to Jesus. Don’t we read their denials of Jesus and desperately want them to speak truth and stand with Jesus? He was there! They could SEE the truth of Him. And so it is with us. We know the truth and the truth is Jesus. If we believe He was there with them, we believe He is coming again for us and need not fear. Jesus was so intentional in telling us over and over not to fear, but to keep our focus firmly on Him. He knew this day was coming.

We are living in a time when people are fearful of speaking truth – they may get fired, called names, or canceled altogether. As the world spins its lies and delves further into chaos, we will each be tempted (maybe even daily) to cave to the outright lies. And in some ways, it may just seem easier to go along with the crowd. But you have been chosen for such a time as this (Acts 17:26) to speak truth to a lying world.

“See to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. He who stands firm to the end will be saved (Jesus, Matthew 24:6, 13).

“When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near” (Luke 21:28).

Dear Lord, thank You for revealing truth in Your Word. As You sent us here at exactly this time in history, You knew what we would face. You haven’t sent us like sheep to the slaughter, but as Your carefully chosen ambassadors of truth in a world bent on chaos. Thank You for trusting us with this assignment. We love You, Lord. May our love be greater than our fear as the Day draws near. Maranatha! Amen.