Telling the Truth
Do you consider yourself to be an honest person?
Verse of the Day
‘The Lord detests lying lips, but he delights in those who tell the truth.’
Today’s Devotional
Today we are getting back the basics of our responsibility with truth. In today’s verse, our responsibility seems pretty clear. Tell the truth. Be honest with words. That seems pretty straight forward, right?
But let’s look at what else this verse says. The Lord DETESTS our lies. He hates them. That’s pretty strong language. But notice that it doesn’t say that the Lord detests liars. He does not hate US when we lie, he hates our CHOICE to lie.
So why do we lie to each other? And do we ever lie to ourselves? Or to God?
After a Google search, I made a list of some of the reasons that we might lie. Some of them might seem similar, but each has a bit of a different slant. We lie:
- To avoid punishment. When told that there should be no snack before dinner or else there would be no dessert, a child might say, “No, mommy, I did not eat a cookie.” But a cookie was definitely eaten before dinner.
- To protect ourselves. If a child answers the door to a stranger, she might say that her dad is sleeping when, in fact, she is home alone.
- To maintain privacy. This might occur when I told you that I was busy when, in fact, I am an introvert and did not want to attend your party. My introversion is private to me.
- To avoid embarrassment. I might tell my husband that I needed new pants when the truth is that I am embarrassed that I have gained some weight and my current pants are too tight.
- For the thrill of getting away with something. This one might be reserved for people who struggle with being sneaky, but it stems from a need for power and control.
- To be “polite”. When I thank a host of a wonderful party when I was actually miserable.
- Because of a desire for control. If I lie to you about what was said in a conversation I had with someone else, it’s because I want to control the information you are given.
- To diffuse a tense situation. I might lie and say that I am sorry for something when I’m really not sorry at all, just to get the conversation to be over.
- To hide awkwardness. I might tell you that someone is at the door just to get off the phone with you.
- To have others think better of me. These are mostly lies of exaggeration. Fishing stories come to mind…
- Because the truth makes you look bad. A woman might tell her husband that she was working late when she was actually at a bar with her cute new coworker.
- To impress or win admiration. I might tell you about all of the good things I have been doing so that you will think I am a wonderful person, even though I didn’t do any of those things.
- To gain a reward. I might “beef up” my work experience to get a certain job that I want but I’m not exactly qualified for.
Friends, that is a lot of reasons why we lie, and that was after just a quick search. As I read through that list, most of the reasons we lie are for some kind of self-preservation. Which is self focused. Which is not how we are called to live.
There are and always will be situations where the truth seems difficult or uncomfortable. But if we want to delight God, then we need to be people of honesty. We will talk next time about speaking truth in love, but for today, let’s ask God for help to be honest with all of our words. Let’s ask God for help to live the kind of lives where we have nothing to lie about. Let’s ask God for help to know what to say in awkward or uncomfortable situations when the lie feels easier. Because we do not want the Lord to detest anything we say or do. It sounds much better to be people in whom God is delighted.
Journal Prompts
Answer only the questions that seem relevant to you today.
Are you naturally honest?
Which of the reasons to lie are more of a struggle for you?
How can you ask God to help you to be honest?
How can you live today so that you have nothing to lie about?
How can you ask God for the right words to say in every situation you encounter today?
How can you delight the Lord today?