Dependent upon how one looks at it, God has either blessed or cursed me with possessing stunning perception, an incredible memory with nearly total recall concerning certain things, and if that isn’t enough I think incredibly fast, almost beyond the speed of light.
I say blessing because I can amazingly stay in touch with situations with little interaction and often solve most problems before they become bigger problems, or it can be a curse because I can very easily discern when someone is telling me a lie and thus become discouraged and disgusted.
Throughout my career employees have been amazed at how I can know so much that is going on in the workplace in spite of the fact that (due to my hectic schedule) I’m seldom spending much time in their realm.
My crazy mind works like this: When I get around someone I instinctively and instantly seem to be able to process all of the information that my brain contains concerning that person, including the little things such as someone’s demeanor compared to the last 100 times I’ve interacted with them; I notice their facial expressions and compare their current countenance to previous encounters; and I sort out practically everything they’ve ever said to me over the entire time I’ve known them in a millisecond. It is as though all of this information seems to be instantly processed and compared to the current situation as though I was Googling something and then the results pop up in my mind.
Recently someone told me a lie. As with most lies, it wasn’t an outright total distortion of the facts, rather a lie by omission, or telling a half truth. Facts were presented to imply one thing, but the truth was quite different. I knew this person was hiding the truth the moment I began conversing with them. I could see it in their eyes, (nervous) and their demeanor, (strained) and their talk (unusually loud), and finally it was verified during the conversation when certain things that were said did not jive with previous conversations.
I had an utter feeling of deep disappointment, dismay, and hurt as I watched them work their way through a story comprised of half-truths. It grieved me to see them dancing around the truth. Finally I ended my misery and theirs by asking a pointed question that cut to the chase (and to their credit when asked directly the truth did come forth).
Sigh . . .
It saddens me greatly for someone to lie to me. It creates an atmosphere of distrust that is difficult to overcome. They can tell the truth 100 times thereafter, but in the back of my mind I’m always wondering if this time they are telling the truth.
Unfortunately at one time or other we’ve all told lies. Show me someone who states they have never told a lie and I’ll show you a liar. It is a very common sin and along with pride actually caused the downfall of mankind.
Lest however you think it is not serious, then read what Jesus told us in John 8:44: For you are the children of your father the devil, and you love to do the evil things he does. He was a murderer from the beginning. He has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies.
One of satan’s first lies is stated way back in Genesis 3:4 “You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman.
Yup that was a whopper. And guess what? It caused Eve to go out and sin some more and convince Adam to join her, thus sealing their fate and generationally ushering in a curse of suffering, sadness, pain, grief, and death which we still endure today.
Lying is no small thing to God and we shouldn’t engage in it. Jesus tells us that we should let our yes be a yes and our no be a no; plain and simple; Matt. 5:37 Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil.
There is no such thing as half-truths; they are simply whole lies.
It is inherent in satan’s strategy to speak of God’s laws as uncertain or unreasonable, and our society is going full bore down that path. Society states that the Bible including the Ten Commandments was written in ancient times by old men and is outdated in our modern society. He whispers these lies and casts doubt on the Bible regarding most anything.
The Bible states of itself that it is the same today, as yesterday, as it was a thousand years ago, or as it will be a thousand years from now. Lying, stealing, murder, committing adultery and so forth are just as relevant today as they were the day God inscribed them as grievous sins on stone tablets.
Paul warned us against this half-truth strategy and he particularly warned against clergy who twist God’s words and utilize it. He wrote in 2 Cor. 11:3 – But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ.
I can only imagine how God must feel as He listens to our outright lies, half-truths, and other stupid behavior. He who sees and hears all must be very disappointed and dismayed; I cannot even imagine what he must see and hear every second of every day. Praise His Holy name for He has seen fit to forgive us our sins through His son Jesus Christ.
He tells us unless we forgive others their sins against us, we cannot be forgiven.
Hmmm . . . So that person who lied to me must be forgiven?
Okay, I don’t have a problem with that, but I admit I have a problem forgetting what they’ve done.
Jesus wants us to do that too . . .
Yikes!
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me
I never will understand the grace of God – I wish I did . . .
Isaiah 43:25
“I – yes, I alone – will blot out your sins for my own sake and will never think of them again.”
March 11, 2014 – Click here to listen