Luke 6:45 says, "A good man out of good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. FOR OUT OF THE ABUNDANCE OF THE HEART HIS MOUTH SPEAKS."
So, you see, lying isn't just a sin, but it is a representation of who we are at our core. What we say and how we utilize those words is parallel to what our heart is full of. Deceit? Truth? Insecurity? Deception? Honesty? Humility? What will it be?
1. Honesty with Others.
3. Honesty with Ourselves.
4. Making Excuses.
Honesty isn't as black & white as everyone seems to think. It isn't just lie/truth. It goes far beyond a simplistic verbal expression. It roots itself in the mind and the heart of a person. It also prevents us from being a true Christian influence in order to bring others to Christ
1. Dishonesty with Others.
- When someone confides in you and you deliberately turn around and tell everyone you know about what they said, not only have you betrayed their trust, but you have also just proven how dishonest you are.
- It's a big, bright, flashing sign saying "don't trust me with anything".
- Stop lying.
- Stop lying about the simple things.
- Stop lying TO other people ABOUT other people.
- Liars are not only untrustworthy, but they stir up strife, spread rumors, cause enmity, and become incredibly manipulative.
- Dishonest people may complement a person and then make brutal attacks on that person behind their back.
- Dishonest people lie to their parents because they know what they're doing is wrong. This means one is quieting their conscience in order to please the flesh.
2. Dishonesty with Ourselves-Hiding Behind the Lies.
Being dishonest often stems from a place of insecurity. People are dishonest for several reasons.
Being dishonest often stems from a place of insecurity. People are dishonest for several reasons.
- They don't want to get in trouble.
- They want others to view them in a very specific, controlled way.
- They know that lying will help them manipulate a situation or person to their advantage/that person's disadvantage.
- If one is not comfortable with themselves, they feel the need to overcompensate.
- Being open to others (being genuine) will show people the parts of themselves they think need to stay hidden.
- Truly dishonest people often lie without hesitation, as they have allowed it to become second nature.
- Insecure people who feel like they are not enough will tell themselves they have to lie in order to present a picture-perfect image of themselves.
- This makes them feel like they have control over what people think about them.
- Often times, a liar will bring others into a lie, either spreading a rumor or twisting a situation into something it wasn't. This helps them seem like the "good guy" or the "victim".
- Playing these cards makes them feel a sense of importance and helps them gain attention from others whether it be support, pity, or admiration.
3. Making Excuses
- Do you lie about situations and twist it to portray a negative image of someone else?
- Do you pretend to be one way and then act like a completely different person around somebody else, contradicting your previous behavior and attitudes?
- Do you fabricate stories or exaggerate situations to create a false image of yourself?
- Do you listen and allow others to be open to you and then spill the conversation to others?
- Do you find yourself lying about things that do not have any significance (lying for no reason)?
- Do you own up to your downfalls and/or mistakes, or do you downgrade the severity of your actions?
- It doesn't matter if you're someone who tells a "little lie" now and then or someone who lies for a living...we all tell ourselves that its OK. That it isn't that bad, or that we have to.
- Making excuses for our lies keeps us comfortable in them, when what we should really be doing is making ourselves uncomfortable in them.
As a Christian, lying makes others view us as hypocrites. We are called to spread the Gospel, not gossip. We are called to be kind, humble, and to possess integrity. How can we truly live like Christ, when our mouths speak of things that are untruthful and deceitful? We can't. This post may seem like a blatant attack on a very specific trait, but I find it to be necessary. If you lie to friends, you'll lie to your parents. If you lie to your parents, you'll lie to yourself. If you lie to yourself, you'll try to lie to God...attempting to hide away your mistakes, pretending like they don't exist.
The Solution:
- Find yourself in God's truth. Not a representation of physical beauty or attributes, but a description of your value and worth by God's standard.
- Search for God's approval by living each day by His standard, making the opinions of other less important.
- Realize that if you betray someone's trust, you create a permanent mark on your reputation.
- Would you want someone to share your secrets and feelings with others without your consent? Then stop doing it to them.
- Your parents aren't perfect. Neither are you, so allow yourself to admit your faults and mistakes. They should respond with love and understanding. But remember that there are always consequences.
- It is better to look imperfect to man while gaining God's favor, than to lose His favor while looking perfect to man.
- Accept your insecurities instead of trying to pretend like you have none. Then you can start to work on changing them.
Honesty is crucial to living a Christian life. When we begin to fabricate and make things up, we build a world composed of lies and undeniable deception. We then lose sight of God's will, the importance of His commandments, and the necessary blatancy of reality which keeps us focused on the ultimate goal. Strive to be honest and open. It's time we own up to who we are and who we are not. Acknowledge the faults in order to change them. Don't live in a world of fantasy, but instead in a world of God's truth.
God Bless, Kendall Roberts
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