With God's Help: Devotions from Time of GraceSample

Who, me? A liar?

Why do people lie?

You know why. Because it’s easy. Because we’re lazy and want to avoid work and responsibility. Because we feel guilty and don’t want to admit our wrong. Because we’re afraid, afraid of the consequences of our actions. We lie because we are all born liars. No one has to take Beginning Lying or Advanced Lying in school because we get good at it all by ourselves.

Truth telling is learned behavior. When you became a Christian, the personal transformation began. Your past is forgiven and you have the Spirit’s power in the present. When you learned that the Lord hates a lying tongue, you began to resist, to believe that the truth is always better.

That personal transformation is a work in progress, and you and I must struggle with it our whole lives. It is not optional for a Christian: “If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless” (James 1:26).

Let’s practice. Say with me: “I did it.” “It’s my fault.” “It’s a weakness of mine.” “I was wrong about that.” “Will you forgive me?”