Daughter: “Mommy can we read another story?”
Mom: “I am afraid we can’t. There is a two story limit on Mondays.”
Son: “Dad, can I use your phone to play games?”
Dad: “I don’t have any games on my phone to play.”
‘The car won’t start unless everyone is buckled up!”
“I’m late because traffic was really backed up.”
Or how about, “I’ll pray for you” and then you never do!
These are examples of little white lies we may tell. Is this a big deal?
According to the research of Serota and Levine in the Journal of Language and Social Psychology, Americans tell one to two lies every day. We lie about our whereabouts, our preferences, our income, our age, and more. But should we?
The Bible is full of biblical liars: Jacob’s mother helped him lie to his father and gain the blessing of the birth rite. Ananias and Sapphira lied about how much money they received in a land deal and ended up dead.
Despite the widespread acceptance of lying in our culture, here is what God says:
“A faithful witness does not lie, But a false witness will utter lies.” Proverbs 14:5
“Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds.” Colossians 3:9
“You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.” Exodus 20:9
“But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.” Revelation 21:8
Lying is not a sin we want to embrace. The Lord is gracious and merciful when we need to overcome sin in our lives.
So today, don’t listen to the cultural voices who say lying is not big deal.
Instead, look to God’s Word to direct your life. Lying is not pleasing to God, white, black or any color of lie. Lying is lying and clearly sin.
