Deception

"You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor."

Exodus 20:16

I thought I could trust him.  His words sounded so good and his promises seemed heartfelt.  I believed him when he said he would do something.  As the months went by, however, it became apparent that this community leader was not what he portrayed himself to be.  Instead, his actions proved that he was prone to lying.

It is hard to deal with a person who does not value the truth.  Not only do I lose my trust in that person, but my respect for them dwindles.  It is most likely that I will never go to that person for help or trust them enough to share my struggles.  Instead, I will keep my distance and consider them with skepticism.

This could be one of the reasons God wants those who are a part of His family through faith in Jesus Christ to prove themselves to be people of their word.  If I treat the truth lightly as an ambassador of Christ,  I am doing damage to the impression of God others hold.  I may not tell an out-and-out lie like my community leader did, but there are ways I deceive in order to get my way or stack the odds in my favor.

Lie of Omission

They had done the unthinkable; the brothers banded together against the younger and sold him into slavery.  As if that weren't bad enough, to cover their tracks the young men splattered the boy's one-of-a-kind robe with goat's blood and sent it to their father, letting him draw his own conclusion. (Genesis 37:26-36)

While I may never go to such lengths to cover up my actions, I am not so different from Jacob's sons.  There are times when my silence speaks louder than my words.  Perhaps I've been cautioned regarding the destructive actions of an acquaintance, but I fail to warn those who will suffer because I don't want to get involved in someone else's business.

Other times I tend to leave out crucial details in an effort to preserve the reputation of myself or someone I love.  Sometimes I may simply remain silent even though telling what I know could shed some light on a situation.

James reminds me the importance of doing what I know to be right.  He says, "If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn't do it, it is sin for them." (James 4:17)  When the Spirit of God gently nudges me to warn someone of imminent trouble, reveal all the details of a situation, or speak up, I would be wise to respond to His guidance.  Otherwise, I'm going against God's best for my life.

Even though I may not give false testimony, the things I fail to say are just as damning.

Spin Zone

Politicians and elected leaders are experts at phrasing things in a way that sounds good.  Take a look at some examples from the book, The New Doublespeak: Why No One Knows What Anyone's Saying Anymore by William Lutz:

Meaningful downturn in aggregate output (recession)

After-sales service (kickback)

Resource development park (trash dump)

Temporarily displaced inventory (stolen goods)

Strategic misrepresentation (lie)

There is no doubt that it's hard to tell what many in positions of influence are saying anymore.  Instead of just saying what needs to be said, there is a constant attempt to spin things in a way that benefits the speaker.  We live in a world where killing babies is labeled as, "a woman's reproductive rights," redefining marriage as God created it is presented as, "Gay rights," and promiscuity is labeled as, "sexual freedom."  Let's face it, in this day and age I must read between the lines if I want to know the real story.

In such a world, it is easy for me to follow suit and spin a story to make me appear to be the good guy.  Instead of telling my husband that I didn't have dinner ready on time because I was caught up in social networking, I say I was tying up some loose ends.  Or, my own insecurities could tempt me to opt out of following God's lead into a ministry but I instead say that my schedule is too full to add one more activity.  Or, I may be faced with the dilemma of how to confront one who hurt me.  Instead of owning up to the part I played, however, it's more comfortable to pretend it was all her fault.

Even though I may not give false testimony, I'm pretty good at spinning the truth to make me come out smelling like a rose.

Empty Promises

"Let me know if there's anything I can do to help you."  These are words that are often uttered after a tragedy, sudden death or disaster of some kind.  As one on the outside, my heart goes out to the victims and I want to comfort.  Often, though, I end up saying things that seem right at the time but turn out to be empty promises.  It's easy to say things to try to comfort someone who is hurting without really meaning what I say.

As a follower of Christ, it is important that I mean what I say.  I have heard it said that, "People who trust God's Word should be people whose word can be trusted."  There is no need for me to swear that I will do what I say if I am known for keeping my word.  (Matthew 5:33-37)  

As someone who takes the truth seriously, then, I had better carefully choose my words.  Instead of making a promise that sounds good at the time, I would be wise to say nothing.  If I don't mean it, I shouldn't say it, even if silence seems awkward.  No promise is better than an empty one.

Even though I may not give false testimony, I often say things I don't mean.

There is more to lying than telling an outright lie.  Sometimes, I commit the lie of omission, am guilty of spinning the truth, or make an empty promise.  When I treat the truth with such disdain, I'm not just ruining my own reputation, but I am also doing damage to the name of the One whom I follow.  Therefore, I must understand that being truthful in every way brings glory to God.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can treat the truth as valuable.

When do I spin the truth to make me look good?

How am I guilty of saying something simply to try to make another feel better?