Lies are hurtful, deceitful, and can cause great misery. I’m sure, if we are honest, we can admit that we all have lied, right? I know I have, many, many times. If you say “no”, then you have, you’re lying right now! :D I’m sure we have all been hurt by lies too, right? We never have trouble admitting that one. In fact, I’m sure we could speak for hours on times when someone else’s lies have hurt us deeply, caused misery, built resentment, destroyed relationships, etc.
Eventhough it has happened to us, we still lie ourselves, why? I think it’s because, when you’re on the “giving end” of a lie, it appears as the “easy way out”. If I tell the truth, I’ll get in trouble or they will hate me or it’s tough. You see, we’re focusing on OUR OWN feelings when we lie, not the feelings of others, we only care about US not those whom the lie might hurt. But what we miss, is that lying also destroys us in the end.
The truth will come out, eventually, and I think we all can attest to how bad it is then. You usually get in more trouble, are disliked even more and find it’s a lot tougher when you are caught in a lie than if you would have told the truth from the beginning, right? If you don’t think so, if you think “it doesn’t hurt anyone”, then look at the American Idol tryouts for an example. Look at all those people totally shocked that the panel, particularly Simon, thinks they sound horrible. They know they sound good, people have told them that all their life. How innocent is that little lie now?
We know lying hurts, then why do we do it? Moment of stupidity? Maybe. Maybe this lie won’t turn out badly like the others? Possibly. That no one will know? Now we’re hitting the truth. We think that no one will know or find out that we are lying, that we’ve “gotten away with it” before, and we can again. That’s why I believe we continue to lie. However, we’re wrong there too, God knows. He knows everything about us, so He knows when we lie and the Bible says God DETESTS it! 22 “The LORD detests lying lips, but he delights in men who are truthful”. God the Creator of all, the One who loves us so much He sent His Son, Jesus, to die for us detests lying. I don’t know about you, but that strikes a nerve today. I don’t want to do things that God detests, especially not after all He has done for me, but that is exactly what I do when I lie. He knows, He sees, the lie hurts others and God too. I can imagine the pained expression on Gods face when I lie, the hurt and disgust He feels, I don’t want to do that to Him, and I’m sure you don’t either. I want to bring God joy, see His smiling face, know that I have done well in His sight, as I’m sure you do too. So join with me today in speaking only truth, in which God delights, it may be a tough change for us, but it is a start and we won’t be alone, God will be with us.
Dear Lord, please forgive me for my lies, how they hurt you and others, and please give me the strength and courage to tell the truth today, to bring delight to You and others, so You will be glorified. Amen.
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