10.12.05

You shall not steal, nor deal falsely, nor lie to one another. - Leviticus 19:11.

Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him. - Colossians 3:9-10.

Laura Crews (18-years-old) according to news reports had arranged a date on the Internet but got cold feet somewhere along the way. Laura lives in Kentucky and had planned to fly to Kansas City to meet her Internet boyfriend. To escape from the date she told a few lies. She told her boyfriend that she had been kidnapped, raped, stabbed, and shot. The boyfriend’s mother after learning of the terrible news called police and the police did their best to try to find out the truth. The truth was that Laura had lied and she has been charged with filing a false police report. The good news is that Laura is okay and was only caught in the web of her lies.

Reason # 1 for telling the truth is that the Bible tells us not to lie or to deceive (deal falsely). Laura can now testify to the obvious need to live this out as the Bible has commanded.

Reason # 2 for telling the truth is that we usually become caught up in our lie in some way altering our lives for the worse.

Reason # 3 for telling the truth is that sometimes we are not found out and no one discovers the truth about our lie. As a result, we have to live the lie constantly guarding our lips from telling the truth. We have to live with the guilt of knowing we have deceived and lied to others. The burden grows and grows upon us as the years go by.

Reason # 4 for telling the truth is to save ourselves from all of the embarrassment. As with Laura, in the 21^st Century someone is likely to put it on the Internet, write about it in a blog, or even take a photo of the truth with their cell phone. Your life could very well become defined by the lie that was told for years and years.

Reason # 5 for telling the truth is to avoid arrest, fines, attorney fees, even jail or prison time. Laura may be able to have her charges dismissed since she did not personally contact the police. However, countless other people have been caught up in legal problems because of not telling the truth. Some have lied about their educational credentials and signed a legal oath, which has criminal penalties. Others have lied on other legal documents, which also can result in criminal penalties.

Reason # 6 for telling the truth is that you feel good about yourself and do not have to worry about what would have happened if you had told a lie instead.

Telling the truth may not be easy and may result in temporary embarrassment but it is always the best path to take.

What if you are already caught up in the web of a lie or lies you have told? You need to begin to inform all who know of the lies, of the truth, and to rectify if possible any harm caused by the lie or lies.

Telling the truth may be hard at times but it will be much easier to live with yourself. Instead of trying to keep your lies straight and to remember what you have told one person or another you can just tell the truth. So, when in doubt, just tell the truth!