God Detests Lying Lips

• When was the last time you got caught in a lie? How did you feel?

• Why do you think God feels so strongly about lying?

The LORD detests lying lips, but he delights in people who are trustworthy.
Proverbs 12:22

“The lord detests.” Those three words should get our attention. “Detests” is another word for “hates.” And if God hates something, that should be our cue to stay as far from it as we possibly can.

Proverbs 12:22 tells us that God detests lying lips. You’ll notice that he doesn’t distinguish between different types of lying. It’s all the same to him. There is no such thing as a “harmless, little white lie.” As far as God is concerned, there is the truth and then there is everything else.

The reason God has such a strong reaction to lying is that he himself is truth. His Word is the truth. Every word that comes from him can be trusted. Every promise he makes will be fulfilled. If we can’t depend on him, we can’t depend on anyone or anything.

As the Lord’s followers, we represent him in this world. That’s why it’s important for us to love and honor the truth as much as God does. If we can’t be trusted in our everyday words, how can we be trusted when we tell others about Jesus?

PRAYER
Dear God, thank you for telling us very clearly how you feel about lying. Help us keep that in mind the next time we are tempted to say something other than the truth. Amen.