Honesty

When I was younger I used to struggle a lot lying and it was so obvious I would like always end up looking at the ceiling. So many times it can be hard to be honest but it does in fact end up being worse if you lie for so many reasons. You just feel guilty about it to start with because God commands us “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor. (Exodus 20:16 NIV). God does not lie to us. It is amazing and vital to realize in the bible how faithful God is in keeping His promises! So everything we say we should be able to say to God or not be afraid that it will get back to the wrong person and the truth will come out. Another reason is just that our life becomes a lie and not of God we are spending so much time thinking about who we told what to and who knows what. I am not saying we have to tell everybody everything or even if they ask something that we have to tell them but just to in a Godly way find a way to answer it or change the subject. Now that might still be obvious but eventually our heart will become so hard to the fact that we are lying and we won't even realize it and our life will not really be serving God as we should. 

There are six things the Lord hates, seven that are detestable to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false witness who pours out lies and a person who stirs up conflict in the community. (Proverbs 6:16-19 NIV). God specifically says that he hates lying. God knows our hearts and He will expose our hearts and lives. There is so much more joy and peace in being honest and not walking on egg shells. 

An honest witness tells the truth, but a false witness tells lies. Truthful lips endure forever, but a lying tongue lasts only a moment. The Lord detests lying lips, but he delights in people who are trustworthy. (Proverbs 12:17, 19, 22 NIV). Proverbs 12 is really great talking about lying. Think about all the people we witness to in a day...if we are lying to them or they find out we are lying that would just ruin our witness and they would become hardened to God and think He is a lie too. 

For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be known or brought out into the open. (Luke 8:17 NIV). This is what I was saying before that God will bring out the truth in His righteous ways. And it's not to say don't lie so that God will bless my life it is saying I love and respect God so much and want to honor Him and therefore love others so I will speak the truth and love. The way we speak and the things we say or don't say can really impact other people. 

Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. (Colossians 3:9, 10 NIV). God doesn't lie and if we are truly saved and really believe in Him then we have His spirit inside of us and are created as a new person and a new heart that is loving. When we come to Christ our old self dies. It literally has to die it cannot just be lingering around the corner waiting to sneak back up on you. We have to keep growing stronger in mind, spirit and body in Him and ready to fight sin. 

But the things that come out of a person’s mouth come from the heart, and these defile them. For out of the heart come evil thoughts—murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. (Matthew 15:18, 19 NIV). What we say does come from the heart and our heart is just the truest thing we have. It will expose who we really are and if we have been changed. Out of the heart the mouth speaks and we need cleanse and heal our hearts so our tongues can give glory to God and sing praises to Him! God will work on our hearts if there is sin it and we need to let Him!!