How do we know that the morality that we are looking at, may actually, instead, be a mirage?

Have you ever seen a mirage? The most popular mirages that we hear about is what can happen in the desert. For example, the water that isn’t actually water at all in the distance is actually, a sea of sand. It is an optical illusion that is deceiving you into seeing something that isn’t there in the first place.

Can we ever apply this concept of a mirage to people when it comes to their morals?

Think of it this way….how many people have we seen who on the outside, look beautiful, seem to be amazing and appear to have it all together? And then we find ourselves comparing our own lives to their seemingly idealistic lives? After all, they are popular, and have wealth and fame. So, we should admire them and want to be like them, right? Not so fast……..

Actually, are these people really so perfect? Some are proving themselves to be not so perfect, after all.

We have recently seen a lot of stories about these sort of people in the news. They write books, they get praised for (supposed) accomplishments, they hold offices, they run companies. You name it, we can list it here. Then, BAM! There is some negative press that comes out about things that were covered up and hidden because it didn’t meet the criteria of their status. It wasn’t to be disclosed because it would taint the image that they’ve cultivated for the world to see.

My son, Marc, coined this a “morality mirage”. (Smart kid!) Which I think is very apt!

So, what is a “morality mirage”? To me, it is simply that the morals that some people have on the inside, don’t match the morals that they “appear” to have or that they show to the world. They have morally corrupted themselves for the sake of wealth and power. Their greed has changed their soul and they should not be admired by us anymore. They are now tainted and damaged goods. Learn instead to observe a person’s actions. If their actions, don’t match their words, then it is a good bet that you are looking at someone who is showing a morality mirage.

So, what have I learned from this? These are not the sort of people that I can look up to and admire. I must, therefore, be choosy in whom I hold in high esteem. The people I admire most are the ones who “walk the walk and talk the talk”. I admire the ones who stand firm on the principles they hold while others in the world make fun of them. This is a good time to remind us of the moral of Noah. Remember what happened in that story?

What can you gain from this? Understand that what is inside also needs to be shown on the outside and vice versa. Hold those around you to a higher example, but most of all? Be that example! Humble yourself, admit your faults and ask for forgiveness for your sins, then do your best to follow His path. It’s not easy, because you will always have the temptations that want to take us down, but realize that the reward is amazing when you stay strong and true to yourself and the values that God knows we can have!