Tempted to Lie? It Happens!
“Stop lying to each other; tell the truth” Eph. 4:23
Children learn early on that lying seems the best way to avoid trouble—at least for a few minutes!Ask your chocolate-smeared child if he took a cookie without permission and he’s likely to look up at you, all wide-eyed innocence, shake his head vigorously, and say “No”. He might even let a few tears roll down his cheeks to convince you he’s telling the truth. Of course, it could be his terror at being found out.
But what about when we’re adults? Are we still tempted to lie? Maybe, occasionally?
Standing in the Customer Service line at a local store, I wondered how to explain my request. I had bought two counter stools on sale. Then I returned one. A few days later the store advertised that if you buy one, you could get one for free. Being FREE, I now wanted two stools after all. But was I entitled to the freebie?The whole situation was confusing because I paid one price, the advertisement had another price, and when I went to the stack of stools to check the price, sure enough. It was a third price.I thought about how to explain the situation so that I could go home with a free stool. Then it hit me, I was being tempted to lie or shade the truth, all so I could get that crazy Free Stool!
After waiting in the slowest line around, I finally shuffled up to the next available clerk and told her the whole story. Instead of frowning at me, scrutinizing my receipt, and making me feel like I was trying to steal something, she smiled and said, “No problem. Just go and get your free stool and bring it back for me to scan the price tag.”That was it. All my angst with how to present my case in order to get that free stool was a waste of mental and emotional energy.
But I was shaken by how sneaky temptation can be.
And all the reasons we can be tempted to fudge the truth (O.K. Lie!)
We might wrestle with lying by inflating our achievements or popularity, to win admiration.
We might wrestle with lying in order to gain financially. Or get what’s not rightfully ours.
We might wrestle with lying in order to avoid criticism, blame, and unpleasant conflict.
We might wrestle with lying and speaking maliciously about someone who has hurt us.
We might wrestle with lying to gain the upper hand over someone.
Recognize any of these temptations? They come because we are human—and yet we’ve been given the power not to succumb to Satan’s temptations.
Scripture is full of verses about lying, deceiving, being a false witness, and not speaking the truth:Why such an emphasis? Because Jesus declared, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.”
Speaking truth and living truthfully is how you and I reflect the life of Jesus in us.
If you’re struggling with speaking the truth because it could land you in trouble
If you’ve developed a habit of speaking white lies, or hiding what is true
If you lie to hide from something that swallows you in shame
Ask God for wisdom.
Ask Him to show you what’s behind your lying.
Let Him reassure you of His love and forgiveness as you ask for it.
And seek His direction about what to say, how to say it, and when.
He loves to empower the change you long for, and to bless your life. So this week let me challenge you:
Will you ask the Holy Spirit to remind you whenever you’re about to say something that isn’t truthful? And then commit to not biting Satan’s bait?I’d love to hear when you’ve resisted the temptation to tell a lie—and what happened!
Blessing and growth, Poppy