Some issues have come up around here that have, for some reason, got my brain thinking about “lying” – yes, “lying”.
It is as if the LORD has taken these scales from my eyes and has magnified this “art” that is practiced on a daily basis by young, old and in between, alike. The words flow from people’s mouth with such ease; it is a refined “art”. It seems that it is harder for people to say the truth than to invent something, change the story, add or take away, embellish, etc.
There are those times that we are told that they are simply “white lies” and won’t hurt anyone. Or that if they said the truth it would hurt someone, yet they can say some “truths” that simply devastate and hurt people with such ease – could this be using a different standard?
I remember an episode of “I Love Lucy” where Lucy would speak without thinking and say lie after lie after lie – it was so “natural”. Finally Ricky, Fred, and Ethel made a bet with her about how she could not keep herself from lying for 24 hours. It was so difficult for Lucy, she didn’t realize how “natural” it was for her to simply “fib” for convenience sake. It finally came to the point where she was speaking the “truth” with ease, but everyone was getting hurt by it. (I don’t remember all the details; it’s simply an illustration of what seems to be an “every-day-okay-thing”).
The Word of God is full of admonitions against lying. In Psalms and Proverbs alone we find lots of exhortations against lying:
Psalm 40:4 - Blessed [is] that man that maketh the LORD his trust, and respecteth not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies.
Psalm 58:3 – The wicked are estranged from the womb: they go astray as soon as they be born, speaking lies.
Psalm 62:4 - They only consult to cast [him] down from his excellency: they delight in lies: they bless with their mouth, but they curse inwardly. Selah.
Psalm 63:11 - But the king shall rejoice in God; every one that sweareth by him shall glory: but the mouth of them that speak lies shall be stopped.
Psalm 101:7 – He that worketh deceit shall not dwell within my house: he that telleth lies shall not tarry in my sight.
Proverbs 6:16-19 – These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto Him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, an heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among breathren.
Proverbs 14:5 – A faithful witness will not lie: but a false witness will utter lies.
Proverbs 14:25 – A true witness delivereth souls: but a deceitful witness speaketh lies.
Proverbs 19:5 – A false witness shall not be unpunished, and he that speaketh lies shall not escape.
Proverbs 19:9 – A false witness shall not be unpunished, and he that speaketh lies shall perish.
Proverbs 29:12 – If a ruler hearken to lies, all his servants are wicked.
Proverbs 30:7-8 – Two things have I required of thee; deny me then not before I die: Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me: Lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the LORD? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain.
I tell you what, this has and continues to be something that the LORD is teaching me and will continue to teach me. How sad that our brains have been programmed to such a degree that it takes more effort to say the truth than to tell a lie. God help us to renew our mind every second of the day; to not be conformed to this world, but to be transformed by the renewing of our mind through God’s Word – God’s Word is TRUTH. May we think and meditate on those things that are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, of good report, virtuous, praise worthy. May the words of our mouth and the meditation of our heart be acceptable in God’s sight.
2 comments:
God always tells me to speak the Truth in Love. It is so easy to lie by trying not to hurt a sensitive person ( or someone who has a dominant personality who may get mad if you just flat out tell them whats up). So I think this scripture is telling me to learn to say the truth in a loving tackful way that will help a person understand the best way that I can share. and then leave them in Gods hands. Gods wisdom is needed when dealing with difficult people that you cannot satisfy or comfront with the truth out right without a fight or hurt feelings.
Sometimes I say things that are overexagerated, or that might not exactly be true because either I cannot remember or it comes out the way I would like it to be when in fact,it really didn't happen that way.
I know it sounds very imature. But It has to be dealt with. And God sure dose deal with me using much humiliated ways. Its not bad that God dose this. Its very good for me because I hate it when I walk into that temtation. It is small and suttle, but a huge nag if its not nipped. And it can hurt others and teach our children that lying is ok.
Thank you Shalom...
yes, we are truly a work in progress and we simply continue to ask the LORD for His wisdom and discernment as to when to speak(in love) and when to stay quiet:)
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