Rudy GrayWhen our girls were growing up, we emphasized the importance of being truthful. In fact, discipline was more severe when a lie was told than when a rule was broken.
Honesty is a virtue that is almost extinct in our culture today. In the book, “The Day America Told The Truth,” it is reported that 91 percent of Americans lie on a regular basis. Only 13 percent believe the Ten Commandments are still binding today.
We have models of disaster constantly before us: people who lie. From presidents to preachers, the group of liars in our country reaches far and wide. There are many motives for lying, but in the end it’s still a lie.
In scripture, we are counseled not to bear false witness and to speak the truth in love. We are warned not to swear or take oaths, but let our yes be yes and our no, no.
The emphasis in the Bible is on God’s people being honest people. When we speak, we should not deceive, mislead, misinform, or deliberately lie. However, the art of embellishment has always been around.
I read recently of three high school students who decided to go fishing early one school-day morning. They were successful fishing, but went to school two hours late. When the teacher asked for an excuse, they all replied, “We had a flat tire.” The teacher knew they were lying, but did not debate with them. She simply put the three in three of the four corners of the room and announced the three would be taking a test. It had only one question: “Which tire?”
We have learned to call a lie something other than what it is. However, a lie by any other name will still be a lie. No doubt all of us have lied. It is so common. We even use formulas to convince people we are telling the truth – things such as “So help me God,” “Honestly,” “I swear on my mother’s grave,” “If l’m lying, I’m dying,” “To tell you the truth,” etc. We say all those things because there is such a problem with lying.
It used to be said, “Honesty is the best policy.” It still is. God’s word is truth without any mixture of error. Jesus is the truth. God expects His people to walk in the truth and tell the truth. If we fail to live and speak with honesty, people may not be inclined to trust us when we tell them about life in Christ.