Exaggerations, Misstatements, Quoting out of context, Partial disclosures, Disguising opinion as fact, Unsubstantiated reporting, Slander, Gossip, Misrepresentation, Failure to correct when new facts emerge, Selective camera angles

As parents, we recognize the above behaviors as ways our children and teenagers participate in deceptive lying. When they engage in these behaviors, we expose their sin, bring appropriate discipline, and disallow the continued lying in our homes. For good reason…These behaviors violate the wills and ways of God. They are sin. They undermine trust in relationships, and they demonstrate bad character. I invite us all to go back and read that list again. As mature believers, we should be willing to apply these same standards to our lives right now in the middle of this pandemic. We should be able to hold up that same checklist as a way to evaluate every angle of our own lives: thoughts, words, and deeds. There are no free passes. There are no “ends justify the means” arguments that are scripturally sound. There is no “they do it all the time, so we can too” justification. There is no private vs. public set of standards. We must use the Word of God as our standard. And we must acknowledge that – when we choose to take off the very armor that God created for us to wear in our fight against the devil – we are opening ourselves up to his spiritual attack. We must not take off the belt of truth.

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Today, I want to share a set of scriptures that I believe is important for our reflection for us to pass the test of truth-telling and make our individual and corporate responses. This week we will be needing to discern truth from error and make our choices. We will hear slander and gossip masquerading as fact. This week we will be pulled between many loud voices vying for our allegiance, and we will be straining to recognize the still, small voice of the Holy Spirit. Fortunately, it shouldn’t be that hard, because the voice of the Holy Spirit will always pass that checklist above. He IS the Spirit of Truth. Before we begin our scripture meditation, I also want to remind us of that little story that I always found very helpful in discipling our children. It’s the story of “The Boy Who Cried ‘Wolf’.”If we in the church engage in sloppy truth-telling – which is lying – and participate in exaggeration at this critical moment, we are in danger of crying wolf now and blowing our credibility for the future.

Christians in media, social media, church leadership, business leadership, or family dynamics: God will support us when we stand in his voice of truth. He will fight for us. The enemy will deceive and divide us when we choose to broker in his deceptive, distorted lying. Today, I am reaffirming my allegiance to truth-telling in this atmosphere of high spiritual warfare. I am re-applying my belt of truth. I’m going to practice self-control and wait on the Lord to reveal what is truly in the darkness (not just my conjecture) before I speak hastily. I’m going to guard my heart against gossip and slander. And then I’m going to be quick to listen, slower to speak, and much slower to become angry (James 1:19). Our scriptures to reflect on today: Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place…(Eph. 6:14) Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. (1 Pet. 2:1)

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. (Prov. 6:16-19)The Lord detests lying lips, but he delights in people who are trustworthy. (Prov. 12:22) Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. (1 Pet. 5:8)”You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.” (Jn. 8:44) “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.” (Ex. 20:16)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. (Col. 3:9-10)An honest witness tells the truth, but a false witness tells lies. (Prov. 12:17) “God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.” (Jn. 4:24)…keep your tongue from evil and your lips from telling lies. (Ps. 34:13) “But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.” (Jn. 16:13) Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body. (Eph. 4:25) Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. (Eph. 4:31) Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. (1 Jn. 4:1)

(Used with permission from Project 7000. Article by Lisa Cherry.)