Daily Devotions
The Truth About Lying
Title: The Truth About Lying
Reading for November 28: Romans 11-14
Weekly reading for November 25-December 1: John 6-10
You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and has nothing to do with the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.
John 8:44
Lying was a serious problem for the patriarchs:
- Abraham lied about his wife Sarah (Genesis 12:10-20).
- Isaac, Abraham's son, lied about his wife Rebekah (Genesis 26:6-11).
- Jacob, Isaac's son, lied to his father being prompted by his mother (Genesis 27).
- The sons of Jacob lied to their father about their brother Joseph (Genesis 37:29-36).
And this list doesn't even cover half the lies in this family! There were lies stacked on top of lies. And almost all the lies were within the family: sons lying to fathers, father-in-law lying to his son-in-law, daughter lying to father, wives lying to husbands, etc.
There are some lessons we can learn from this family of liars.
- Lying is a learned behavior. Our kids are watching us and learning from us. Lie around your children or to your children and watch what they do.
- Lying is a habit. It is a state of mind that once you start doing it there is little to stop you from doing it again and again. Virtually impossible to self-contain.
- Lying begets lying. Tell one lie and you'll have to tell a thousand more.
- Lying is a complicated business. It's hard to keep up with the lies you've told.
- Lying is selfish to the core. We may dress it up and rationalize our lies, but bottom line, the reason we do it is because we are completely absorbed with ourselves.
The scary thing is that we represent God to our family and to the world. God never lies. Can people see God's truthfulness and fidelity in us? Or do they see, through our lies, who our true father is (John 8:44).
Father, thank you for always telling us the truth. Help us to hate all lies. Help us to care enough about you and about others to always tell the truth.
