Tell the Truth....and Nothing but the Truth

A story is told of four high school boys who couldn't resist the temptation to skip morning classes. Each had been smitten with a bad case of spring fever. After lunch they showed up at school and reported to the teacher that their car had a flat tire. Much to their relief, she smiled and said, "Well, you missed a quiz this morning, so take your seats and get out a pencil and paper." Still smiling, she waited as they settled down and got ready for her questions.  Then she said, "First question--which tire was flat?"

What do you think happened next in the story above?  I'm pretty sure the four boys would have either confessed or been "convicted" once they turned in their papers, don't you think?  What a wise teacher this was!

Lying is one thing that I will not tolerate with my children.  Of course they get in trouble for other types of misbehaving and disobedience, too, but I want them to know that lying is serious and it's not funny.  There are times when they tease and tell me something to have fun and play a joke.  That's not what I'm talking about.  I'm talking about a true lie...something that is not true or not admitting fault or wrong-doing.  It's deliberately not telling the truth.

In the Bible, Satan told the first lie ever recorded, which also led to the first sin.  In Genesis 3, God told Adam and Eve not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil or they would die.  But the cunning serpent tempted Eve and she took the bait and ate the fruit.  Then she gave some to Adam and he ate.  Because of that first lie, and because of the first sin, the world was changed forever.

Lies can change our lives, as well.  A lie can cause heartache and sorrow.  It can ruin friendships and relationships.  It can destroy marriages.  But most of all lies and sin can seperate us from God.

"Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices 10and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator."

Colossians 3:9-10

"Truthful lips endure for ever, but a lying tongue lasts only a moment."

Proverbs 12:19