out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned” (I Tim. 1:5). Charles Cook imagined himself to be a cordial and polite individual because he sounded like one. But by his rationalization he was covering up a basic dislike of people and had fooled even himself into thinking he was a congenial man. He needed to face the fact that his geniality was only a front. But to deceive even himself was easier than squaring up* with the truth. Yet he could not get away with his duplicity. “ For as [a man] thinketh in his heart, so is he” (Prov. 23:7). Through rationalization it is possible to persuade yourself that an actual weakness of your character is a virtue. A white-hot temper can become in your think ing an instrument to produce righteousness in others. A real difficulty can be regarded as a big joke. Good deeds can be a mask for an appetite that thrives on praise. A spirit of revenge can be cast in the frame work of a search for justice. You can make yourself appear better than you really are and by your effort mislead others. Rationalization starts when you are un willing to admit the unpleasant truth. Rationalizing the truth violates a Biblical standard. “ Lying lips are abomination unto the Lord, but they that deal truly are His delight” (Prov. 12:22). “ The Lord shall cut oft all flattering lips and the tongue that speaketh proud things” (Psa. 12:3). “We are meant to hold firmly to the truth in love, and to grow up in every way into Christ, the Head” (Eph. 4:15, Phillips). If you form the habit of ignoring facts, brushing aside the truth, making things come out to suit your self, you will react in just these ways when a serious crisis comes into your life. You cannot rationalize in the small decisions and then expect to make the major deci sions in good unfettered judgment. By practice you can become expert at dodging issues or at facing them frankly and honestly. The Biblical standard of dealing only in truth is not designed to be a nuisance to the one who would abide by it. Rather it is the pathway to peace. Rational ization, on the other hand, will thwart your progress in life. The key to inner peace is self-discovery. The method is to forsake the wrongs you discover. “ He that cov- ereth his sins shall not prosper'; but whoso confesseth and forsake them shall have mercy” (Prov. 28:13).
my wife,” a speeding driver will say. It is a good-enough excuse. But in looking squarely at the facts, few persons would accept his reasoning as valid for breaking the law. Most persons are at least vaguely aware of incon sistencies in their lives. It is hard not to rationalize them. How difficult we find it to get down to reality and face conflict, or to harmonize disagreements. We dislike being shown up, having our pride injured, having our true selves exposed. Rationalization can become a subtle habit of the inner life. Dishonesty and deception can in time be come so easy to live with that you can “kid” yourself into believing whatever you want to believe. Charles Cook was anxious and restless. He found it hard to concentrate. When he sat down, he could never relax, so he got up frequently to pace the floor, to get a drink of water, to check the time, to look out the win dow. Cordial and friendly though, Charles was the type of person who made you feel that in him you really had someone who cared about you and your problems. “ Give me a call anytime,” he would sing out cheer fully to everyone visiting his office. Or, “ You’ve got to come over to the house and tell me more about it.” Some persons took him up on his offer of hospitality. And there was the rub! His friendliness was an act. He didn’t really mean for business associates to call him — let alone to drop in at his home. He was just making conversation. Whenever he was trapped, he had a way of getting out of it. “ I’d be glad to stop by some night,” a client would say in response to his invitation. “ How about Thurs day ?” “ Sounds fine. But let me check with the wife’s plans and call you,” Cook would say. Not for a minute did he intend to have this guy taking up his evening. The next day he would telephone the client to apologise. “ Sorry, but my wife’s got me tied up with the PTA Thursday night. Let me contact you later.” Why did he invite people to call him or visit him? It was the polite thing to do. Why did he then lie to the one he had invited? He did not want to hurt any one’s feelings. But occasionally Charles Cook could not get out of his self-made trap. He would have to play the role of genial host to people he did not like. His acting was superb. But what a distasteful way of life! Is there any wonder that he was an anxious, uneasy man? “The bread of deceit is sweet to a man, but after ward his mouth shall be filled with gravel” (Prov. 20:17). “Now the end of the commandment is charity
Reprinted by courtesy of Scripture Press Founda tion, holder of copyright. This article is part of a chapter from the book, "T h e Struggle for Peace."
15
JULY, 1965
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