The house centipede is quite possibly the ugliest thing on the planet. Imagine a large moving hairpiece, and you have a basic visual description. Because of our damp Spring and Summer, my house has resembled scenes from the movie Night of the Living Toupée*. While it will never win a beauty pageant, the house centipede serves many beneficial purposes. They eat other insects, including spiders and roaches. Most people don't care, they just want to kill them**.
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| Which is scarier? |
You Want My Honest Opinion?
This brings to mind things that are beneficial, but unpleasant. In theory, I want people to be honest with me; in reality, I'd rather they just agree with me. Few people in our lives tell us the truth. People we casually know at work or church would rather gossip about our failing marriage than get involved. Our acquaintances don't feel it's their place to tell us that are kids are out of control. For fear of ruining our relationship, friends (or the closest thing we have to friends) try to avoid touchy subjects like our awful sense of fashion. Family feels it is their role to build us up and not tear us down, or they want to criticize everything. Even our spouses refuse to tell us if a dress makes us look fat. Why won't people tell us the truth? For answers let's consult that great philosopher Tom Cruise . . . .
Mission: Impossible
We are currently living in what is called the post-modern era. It is well known for coming after the modern era. Clever, huh? In the Modern era we learned to think as individuals, everyone entitled to their own opinion. The post-modern era, not to be outdone by the modern era, took this a step further. The prevailing philosophy in the world today is that everyone is entitled to their own facts. In an era where truth is relative, it is impossible for someone to tell me that I am selfish or immoral.
A Few Good Men
One of the most memorable lines from the movie A Few Good Men comes when Col. Jessep, played by Jack Nicholson, tells military lawyer Lt. Kaffee, Tom Cruise's character, "You can't handle the truth!" The Colonel here implies that people don't want to know how the military operates as long as they are kept safe. Many of us are content in believing a lie about ourselves or the world around us if it makes us more comfortable. We don't want to hear about the injustice that is happening a world away so we can have top notch athletic shoes. Don't tell me about the people who are exploited so I can eat fresh fruit.
Risky Business
Ever hear the phrase "don't shoot the messenger"? Maybe you wouldn't literally shoot a person, but maybe we assault others verbally or emotionally. Telling the truth involves a delicate balance of humility, courage and thick skin. In addition, we need to love a person enough to put their needs before ours, willing to risk everything, including the relationship, for their well being.
Wouldn't a true friend tell me?
The Bible tells us that when people in the church become mature they will "speak the truth in love". For a long time, there has been half-truth. People used to give away Bibles that said "Good News America, God Loves You". Who doesn't want to hear that? While that statement is true, it is by no means complete. Sure God loves us, but he is also a Father who wants to parent and discipline us. He is a Savior who came to die for us because, well . . . we aren't perfect. Maybe the title should have been "Good News America, God Loves You . . . Even Though You Have Issues" or "America? God Loves You, But We Need To Talk". Man, house centipedes have it rough.
*Perhaps one of the most unappreciated horror films of all time.
**Diatomaceous earth works well and it is environmentally friendly. What? We all know you were going to kill them anyway.
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