Liar, Liar

Don’t lie to each other, for you have stripped off your old sinful nature and all its wicked deeds. Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him.

COLOSSIANS 3:9-10

“I RODE A PLANE ON MY VACATION. And the pilot said he could tell I was so smart, I could probably just fly it myself. So I did. And they gave me an award. And now on the weekends, I fly people to where they need to go.”

You’ve probably heard a whopper like this and known the storyteller was making it up. Some lies are easy to spot. Some aren’t. But all lies have the potential to hurt others and break trust between people. A silly fib like this one can make you lose faith in the person telling it. And there are times when lies go beyond silly and really hurt people. For instance, imagine if you were upset with a friend, so to get back at her, you say she cyberbullied you. Teachers and parents get involved, friendships are broken, and the person is deeply hurt by the lie. Lies have the ability to cut like a knife. Our words matter. Honesty matters. And it’s often true that people who lie about small things will also lie about big things.

So check yourself. Don’t lie. Tell the truth in every situation. Not just because you don’t want to hurt others or lose their trust but also because it’s what God tells us to do. He wants us to be honest, even when it’s really hard. He expects us to honor him by being truthful.

DO

Find an adult who has a few minutes to talk to you. Interview the person with these questions:

• Tell me about a time you didn’t tell the truth when you were young.
• What would you change about that time?
• Why does honesty matter to you?
• What helps you always be honest, even when it’s hard?

PRAY

Dear God,

Thank you for always being trustworthy. Help me remember that lies hurt; they don’t help. Remind me to always be truthful, even during the times when it’s really hard. Amen.

READ

Proverbs 12:22; 1 John 2:4