The Truth About Lying

• Describe a time when you really wanted to tell the truth but didn’t. What happened? How did you feel afterward?

• Describe a time when you were tempted to lie but chose to tell the truth instead. What happened? How did you feel afterward?

Do not move your neighbor’s boundary stone set up by your predecessors in the inheritance you receive in the land the LORD your God is giving you to possess.
Deuteronomy 19:14

Before the Israelites entered the promised land, Moses (who would not enter the land with them) gave them some final instructions. Among those instructions were rules regarding property lines. Moses warned the Israelites against the dishonest practice of moving boundary markers in order to steal land from a neighbor. He emphasized that there was no place for such dishonesty and selfishness in the promised land.

We may not have boundary issues today, but the temptation to be dishonest for our own gain is still very real. Depending on the circumstances, we may be tempted to lie to escape trouble or to avoid embarrassment or to make ourselves look good. Whatever the motive, dishonesty is a shortcut we should never take.

Whatever temporary benefit we get from avoiding the truth is wiped out by the damage we do to our relationship with the Lord. As Christians, we aren’t called to seek our own good or to do what’s best for us. We are called to honor God. Telling the truth, even when it makes our life difficult, honors him. If we tell the truth, he will bless us. If we don’t, he will allow us to experience the consequences of our lies.

PRAYER
Dear God, thank you for setting rules that help us honor you. Give us the courage and strength to follow those rules so that we may enjoy our relationship with you. Amen.