People lie! One study indicates that people lie as often as two-three times every ten minutes. When in a sticky predicament, people will concoct crazy stories or deny, deny, deny! Cornell University professor Jeff Hancock shared his ethical mathematical equation: Desperation + Lack of Time = Idiotic Lie. Consider the following trues stories of major “whoppers” from Reader’s Digest:
While running for a seat on the Birmingham, Alabama, Board of Education, 23-year-old Dr. Antwon B. Womack said he’d graduated from West End High School and received a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Alabama A&M. Impressive, except that Womack was 21, didn’t have a doctorate, didn’t attend college, and never graduated from high school. Other than that, he told the Birmingham News, he was honest.”
The lie: “My campaign is not based on a foundation of lies,” he insisted.
The truth: “It’s just that the information I provided to the people is false.”
The honest-to-God truth: The revelations are “really going to hurt my career.”
Were there any suckers? Yes, 117 of them. That’s how many people voted for Womack, landing him in fourth place out of five candidates.
Sergei Berejnoi raced through Denver International Airport trying to catch his SkyWest Airlines flight. Unfortunately, he arrived just after the plane had left the gate with his luggage onboard. With his pleas to bring back the plane falling on deaf ears, he offered the gate agent a not-so-subtle reason for doing as he said.
The lie: “There’s a bomb in my suitcase.”
Were there any suckers? The aircraft was checked for explosives. When none were found, Berejnoi took a trip of another sort, to the police station. He’s now on probation for six months.
You may not be able to trust people, but you can absolutely trust God. Hebrews 6:18 says “it is impossible for God to lie.” When we read God’s Word, we can know for sure He is telling the truth, and He will do what He says He will do. This is an encouraging “truth.” However, it is a terrifying truth as well. Revelation 21:8 clearly conveys this truth, “But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”
You cannot separate the action from the person. We lie because we are liars at heart. We are immoral because our hearts desire something other than God, and the consequences are staggering. Fortunately, the Scripture provides tremendous and truthful hope. Romans 8:1-2 promises “there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.”
Consider the following promise from Jesus’ own mouth, “I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand” (John 10:28). Our God cannot lie. He is truth (John 14:6) and He will declare truth. Our greatest challenge is whether we believe Him or not. The essence of sin is doubting God has a greater, more satisfying answers for our needs and desires than the ones we want. We have God given desires like love, relationship, joy, significance, purpose, and we seek to fulfill these needs in ungodly ways.
When faced with life’s trials and temptations, do not believe the lies of the world, the flesh, or Satan himself that you can satisfy your own needs or determine your own destiny. Believe and trust God. He is all you need!