Lies!

Day 79 of 365 – I went to court the other day in an attempt to get out of a school zone speeding ticket. Once the judge came out, I sat there while person after person contested before the judge. Every person who denied they were the one driving their vehicle that day….got off the hook. Everyone else, no matter how great of a story they gave, were still required to pay their ticket. A woman with a handful of speeding tickets took her turn before the judge. She had caught on to how the system works, so denied being the one driving the vehicle on EVERY one of those occasions. She left the courtroom having no fees to pay. Then came my turn….”Your Honor, it’s true that I was going 26 mph, however, the second I realized I was in a school zone I put on my brakes….which is evident in the video.” The judge acknowledged my brake lights coming on…but I walked out of the courtroom still owing $124. It was a moment where lying seemed very appealing, it would have been just a little lie…yet I knew it was not an option.

In Acts 5, we read about a couple, Ananias and Sapphira, who also chose to lie. They had sold some property and wanted to give the money to the apostles. They both came separately before Peter announcing that they were giving ALL of the money from the land they sold, when in reality, they had kept back some of the money for themselves. When confronted with their lie, they both fell to the floor and died. Whoa!!!! That is crazy….they just told a little lie. C’mon what is the big deal? The property was theirs to sell, or not sell, and the money received was theirs to do with as they pleased. The issue wasn’t that they didn’t give all the money…the issue was that they lied, and it did not end well for either of them.

“Then keep your tongue from speaking evil and your lips from telling LIES!” – Psalm 34:13

“So stop telling LIES. Let us tell our neighbors the truth, for we are all parts of the same body.” – Ephesians 4:25

Lying can occur by speaking untruths or by withholding the truth…either way it’s making others believe something about our lives that isn’t accurate. May we be people who are truthful, even if it costs us everything, because that is what delights the Lord. The reality is, a life marked by deceit and lies, has a much bigger price tag…even if it seems in the moment that you “got off the hook.” Being truthful and honest is one of the ten commandments…it’s a very big deal!

“God we want to be people who are not enticed to lie, but rather, to be known for how transparent, honest, and truthful we are. We all can probably consider areas of our lives where we haven’t been completely honest with others, where we have flat out told a lie, or where we were half-truthful….help us to choose truth every time, no matter what. Bring conviction where we need it and may we be challenged to live in such a way that is above reproach. In Jesus might name I pray. Amen”