A Lie Doesn't Care Who Tells It

“The lip of truth shall be established for ever: but a lying tongue is but for a moment” (Proverbs 12:19).
I have often heard that “A lie doesn’t care who tells it,”– even a godly man. Once we tell one lie, we usually end up telling a few more to cover up the original. It is an easy cycle to get into and a hard one to break. Why do we tell lies? Usually, it is because they are easier to tell than the truth. When your boss asks if you mind putting in a little overtime, you say you would be glad to do it, when in fact, you know it will strain the little family time you already have. Inevitably, the truth comes out and your integrity is tarnished. My dad used to tell me, “Say what you mean, and mean what you say.” This includes telling the truth even when it is inconvenient. Our conversation must be absolute truth. Men should never have to question or wonder if we are speaking the truth or if we are “exaggerating, stretching the truth or telling a little white lie.” The very truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ is painful to many, yet we have a responsibility to share it. The Word of God is sharper than a two-edged sword, and it cuts to the soul: it lacerates and exposes the thoughts and intents of our hearts. Jesus is the Truth, and is He is an offense and a stumbling block to many. Nonetheless, He is the truth that sets us free, and there is no salvation in any other. You have probably heard the axiom: “The truth hurts,” or Jack Nicholson’s line in A Few Good Men: “You can’t handle the truth!” Perhaps some people can’t handle the truth, but as godly men, that does not remove our responsibility to speak the truth in love.