A Good Name
Proverbs 22:1 (NASB95)1 A good name is to be more desired than great wealth. . .[1]
It is a terrible sin for a person to tell a lie on another individual—to say something that does damage to the reputation of another person. The Bible has much to say on this subject of lying.
In Proverbs 6:16, we are told that there are “six things which the Lord hates, Yes, seven. . .” Among those seven are a lying tongue and a false witness that speaks lies.
In Proverbs 12:22, we read, “Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord…”
In Proverbs 18:21, we find, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue . . .”
God hates lying. In spite of that fact, it seems to be the “m o” of our society: Some lie to sell their product. Some politicians lie to get votes. Some papers write half-truths (whole lies) to sell papers. It seems to be the common activity and communication in our day and many people accept it as the norm.
The greatest tragedy occurs when individuals lie and deceive in the name of the Lord. The greatest hurt I have experienced personally, and the greatest damage I have seen done to the local church has been caused by lies and deception. We call that gossip. Let me remind you that those who gossip to you will gossip about you. Yet people seem to enjoy “juicy gossip.” The worst form of gossip is this “spiritual gossip.” It often begins like this, “I don’t want to say anything that will hurt, but I want to give you something to pray about.” We attach spiritual terminology to it.
Let me give you three ways to defeat lying:
1. We must love the truth. When David confessed his sin before God, he said, “You desire truth in the inward parts.”(Ps. 51:6)
2. We must learn the truth. When we study God’s Word, we acquaint ourselves with truth. (Eph. 4:21; Phil 4:8)
3. WE must live the truth. “Therefore, putting away lying, ‘Let each one of you speak truth…”
Commit yourself to be a truthful person. As you grow in your Christian life, every time you tell something that is not the truth the Holy Spirit will convict you and you immediately confess it to the Lord.
Father God,
Help me to be a person of truth and not deception in all I say and do.
In Jesus name, AMEN.
[1] New American Standard Bible : 1995 Update. LaHabra, CA : The Lockman Foundation, 1995
