Friday, May 28, 2010

On Lying

Lying is bad, right? It’s a sin because it’s a deception and it breaks trust. But is all lying bad?

We lie to build people up. When a friend asks if they look good, then our reply is generally yes. It’s only cruel to point out they are looking a little tired. It’s only mean to highlight their weight gain. It’s insensitive to suggest they would benefit from visiting a hairdresser they can’t afford. All those things are irrelevant anyway. And so we lie.

We lie to preserve the peace. A friend of mine claimed she paid only $200 for a ring. I was with her when she bought it and so I knew it cost her triple the amount. She needed me to agree with her. I knew an argument would follow if I reminded her of the truth, so I claimed I couldn’t remember. It was an easy way out.

We lie to protect our loved ones. We lie to protect ourselves. We lie to save someone’s feelings. We lie to support our friends. We lie to cover embarrassment.

It’s easy to justify lying. But it doesn’t make it right. These white lies are part of the “little” sins I spoke of yesterday.

God will never lie to us. We can completely trust Him 100% of the time. God doesn’t have moods to pander to. He doesn’t need to make himself look better than He is and He is able to protect us without deception.

There are ways of saving someone’s feelings, protecting someone’s safety, avoiding arguments without lying and without being so brutally honest that we end up hurting someone.

When Jesus said, “everyone who sins is a slave to sin,” he wasn’t lying. (John 8:34)

So, walk away from the chains Jesus broke and strive to be more like him.

9 comments:

Wendy Paine Miller said...

I love that God will never lie to us and I believe often it makes the truth seem harsher to our ignorant minds b/c we've numbed ourselves from telling so many little white lies.
~ Wendy

Karen said...

Very good post, Lynda!

Sandy said...

Thank you for a very good
and truthful word, Lynda.
And yes, it's so very
wonderful to know Jesus will
never, ever lie to us!
Blessings,
Sandy

Rose said...

Well said!

Michelle said...

Excellent post-honest!

Lorena G. Sims said...

"It’s easy to justify lying. But it doesn’t make it right" It's so true!

Lynda R Young as Elle Cardy said...

Wendy, that's so true

Sandy, because of that certainty we can trust Him with everything.

Karen, Rose, Michelle, Lorena, thanks so much :)

Barbara said...

Truth is always the best, no lie is a little lie, it is deciet and wrong, lie is lie, and God said it is sin. Good post sweetie, and thanks for your honesty. We all lie at one time or anothr in our life, but we must treat it as any other sin and confess it to our forgiving heavenly father.
Lots of Hugs, Barbara

Rochelle said...

Good thoughts! I've always thought lying was wrong, but at the same time would do those "little" ones to preserve the peace, or to help encourage others... thanks for giving me something to think over and pray about!