THE TRUTH IS, A PARTIAL TRUTH, IS STILL AN UNTRUTH

SCRIPTURE:
Surely you desire truth in the inner parts;
You teach me wisdom in the inmost place. 
(Psalm 51:6)

MEDITATION:
The Bible teaches that purity of conduct includes truthfulness.
God’s Word teaches 
that we should be truthful in our representation of ourselves.
Jesus scornfully denounced the hypocrisy of the scribes and Pharisees!
In the Sermon on the Mount 
He rebuked all hypocritical giving, praying, and fasting.

We should be truthful in all things.
Some like to s-t-r-e-t-c-h the truth, especially about incidents in their 
lives, achievements, family members, things they know and things they own 
(as examples).
God doesn’t ask us to understate the facts (which could also be an untruth),
but neither does He want us to overstate the truth.
We can show humility and still state the full truth.

Some like to embellish the truth to get attention from others, but they 
probably wouldn’t like the attention they get when they are not around.
Some justify their lies in many ways, but in God’s eyes
anything contrary to the absolute truth is a lie.

The truth is, people know when others are lying, 
or failing to tell the whole truth.
It doesn’t take very long until others tag them has pathological liars,
or people who cannot be trusted to tell the truth about anything.
If others are that perceptive of people who lie as they brag, 
as they try to get attention, or as they try to hide things, 
imagine how quickly God knows when they are lying.
Some can fool others (for a while), but no person can fool God...ever.

If we are always truthful, then we never face the predicament
of trying to remember which lies we told to which people.
Just because people smile and laugh when someone is lying,
it doesn’t mean they believe the lies they are hearing.
Also, it doesn’t mean they don't have conversations with others
about the untruthfulness of the person who was embellishing the truth.

Admitting to someone that we might have stretched the truth,
creates a perception in them that we cannot be trusted.
A Christian should be known for their truthfulness and for being trustworthy.
What lost person is going to listen
to what an untrustworthy person has to say about salvation?

ACTION:
Are you someone who frequently brags a lot, or entertains others
by changing stories to make them more exciting or funny?
Or maybe you are in the habit of telling lies about everything?

Lying will not buy you more longtime friendships, or esteem you to others.
Consider the image you are creating, and how lying can shut the door
on any attempts to point others to the Lord.
If you profess to be a Christian, then you are a representative of the Lord.

Pray,
“Heavenly Father, impress on me the importance of always being truthful.
Forgive me for all of my past untruths and lead me in creating a trustworthy
image of myself, so I will be able to point others to Your Son, Jesus. It is too
easy to embellish the truth, so I ask You to give me wisdom to be completely 
honest in every phase of my life.”