Liar, Liar, Pants on Fire
Proverbs 19:5 A false witness will not go unpunished, and a liar will not escape.
When was the last time you told a lie? Now, before you answer that, let me be clear what I mean by that. I’m not just talking about a bald-faced lie. Included in that is a half-truth, or an omission designed to deceive.
So, let me ask you again, when was the last time you told a lie? And what advantage did you seek to gain through its telling? Oh, and what did that lie cost the other person? Because inevitably, someone pays for the unfair advantage that we gained.
We tend to rationalise our “little lies”. They didn’t hurt anyone. No harm done. But, let’s just get all that into perspective:
A false witness will not go unpunished, and a liar will not escape. (Proverbs 19:5)
Hmm. That’s a tad uncomfortable, but it’s the truth. It’s so tempting sometimes to tell a lie isn’t it? That’s why the truth is so important. Because knowing the truth, according to Jesus, is what ends up setting you free.
After all, do you like being lied to? Of course not! The moment we put that shoe on the other foot, lying becomes inexcusable.
In fact, do you want to know how to tell when someone’s lying to you? Here are the three sure signs:
The first is when the person brushes the tip of their nose with their hand, while they’re speaking to you. True, because lying rapidly sends your blood pressure up and that tingles the tip of your nose, which causes the liar to involuntarily brush the tip of their nose with their hand. So the next time you see it, take note. The person speaking is probably lying to you.
The second is when they cover their mouth as they speak. It stands out like a sore thumb. They’re speaking to you and all of a sudden, one hand or the other passes in front of their mouth.
And the third is when they quickly look downwards and to their left whilst speaking.
When you see one of those signs, the chances are you’re being lied to. When you see two at the same time, you definitely have a liar before you.
But let’s come back to you. Even though other people may not know it, God always knows when you’re lying. It can be a difficult habit to break. But ultimately, even though the purpose of a lie is to gain an advantage, that advantage is going to be empty, because God is never, ever going to bless it.
Quite to the contrary.
A false witness will not go unpunished, and a liar will not escape. (Psalm 19:5)
That’s God’s Word. Fresh … for you … today.
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