Lying – A Permanent Putting Away
Although I am not as organized as I would like to be, it is a desire…maybe I should say a “dream” of mine to be totally organized. When the girls and I are doing our regular cleaning, one of our tasks is to put away any misplaced items. Shoes…books….scissors…pens…jackets…all of these have their “place” in our home. When not in use, they should be put away. “Should” is the keyword… 🙂 It’s not uncommon around our house to hear something like – “Here…can you put this away?”
Occasionally, we will do what I call “deep cleaning”. This involves going through closets, drawers, cabinets, etc., and weeding out items we no longer use. Depending on the condition, these items are either given away or thrown away. No longer will they be left lying around our home. They’ve had a permanent “putting away”.
The above scenarios came to my mind while thinking about the following verse:
“Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.” Ephesians 4:25
When a person is truly saved, a “weeding out” of old things begins to take place in their life. II Corinthians 5:17 says it like this – “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” One thing that should no longer have a place in a believer’s life is lying. Deceitfulness should have a permanent “putting away”. Yet, how often do even professing Christians approve of and even practice habitual lying? How often is dishonesty categorized as “BIG lies” and just “little white lies”. I don’t think I have ever come across these categories in God’s Word. But I have read –
“He that hideth hatred with lying lips, and he that uttereth a slander, is a fool.” Proverbs 10:18
“Lying lips are abomination to the LORD: but they that deal truly are his delight.” Proverbs 12:22
Not only does God hate lying, but when we intentionally deceive a person, the Bible says we are actually demonstrating our hatred toward that individual. Consider the following verses –
“He that hateth dissembleth with his lips, and layeth up deceit within him;” Proverbs 26:24 The definition for dissemble is – “To be hypocritical; to assume a false appearance; to conceal the real fact, motives, intention or sentiments under some pretense.” To sum this verse up in two words –>> “haters deceive”.
The last verse in this chapter says it in reverse – “A lying tongue hateth those that are afflicted by it…” Proverbs 26:28 To sum up the beginning of this verse –>> “liars hate”. The verse also makes clear that a lying tongue “afflicts” the person on the receiving end. Though we may not ever think of physically harming an individual, a lying tongue causes much pain to the one being deceived.
In this day and time, when lying is so prevalent, the above paragraphs may seem rather harsh. Haters deceive? Liars hate? Yes, that is what God’s Word says. Why is honesty so important among Christians? Again, Ephesians 4:25 says, “Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.” We could say it like this – “Stop lying to each other…we’re family and families love one another!” Why is honesty so important to a lost and dying world? I Thessalonians 4:12 exhorts us, “That ye may walk honestly toward them that are without…” If anyone has a good testimony of trustworthiness in their community, should it not be the Christian?
Although snow is in the forecast for today, spring is just around the corner, and with it comes a whole lot of spring cleaning. The good news is, that we don’t have to wait until spring to begin weeding out things that no longer have a place in our lives. If we profess to be saved and have not already done so, there is no reason at all to delay this much-needed “deep cleaning”. Let’s resolve, by God’s grace, to put away lying lips…today…for good…end of discussion…PERIOD.
“For my mouth shall speak truth; and wickedness is an abomination to my lips.” Proverbs 8:7
~ Rachel ~