“Put off falsehood and speak truthfully.” – Ephesians 4:25
“Thou shall not lie”…the ninth commandment… We all lie, and sometimes we tell ourselves even white lies are ok. But Paul warns us about people who’ve “lied so well and for so long…they’ve lost their capacity for truth†(1 Timothy 4:2). Yes even white lies are still lies, and while they seem harmless, they are in-fact destroying our integrity and soon enough we will be living a lifestyle of lies. Dr Harold Sala writes: “Some people are so good at distorting the truth that they convince themselves…The chronic liar has made lying so much a lifestyle, she has a hard time perceiving reality…Not only does God distain it, but the liar is destroying her own credibility…To turn a lifestyle of dishonesty around you must recognize you have a problem: not an incurable one but a persistent one, and acknowledge it, even if it means going public.â€Â
If these quotes have struck you, then maybe it’s time for you to start living a life of honesty. It’s not an easy task, but just as the lifestyle started with chronic lying, you’ll need to have a lifestyle of chronic honesty. The more you say things as they truly are, you’ll start to cure that old ugly lifestyle of lying. If you have a problem telling the truth take these four steps to help you:
- Repent. “If we confess our sins, he…will forgive us†(1John 1:9 NIV). And with God’s forgiveness comes His help.
-  Become accountable. Find somebody who’s not afraid to ask you tough questions. Remember, the truth usually makes you miserable before it sets you free.
- Drop the attitude. It’s not okay to lie because God will forgive you. That cheapens His grace. “Shall we go on sinning…that grace may increase? By no means!†(Romans 6:1-2 NIV).
- Keep short accounts with God. When you blow it (and we all do) “fess up†and make it right with God and the people you’ve misled.
I am pretty conscious when I tell both big and small lies, so I will listen to that voice inside my head and begin to start telling the truth all the time! 😀
I’ll leave you all with a video…. Doesn’t really have to do with lying… I just really like this song 8)