DAY NINE: WHY TRUTH MATTERS

Bryant Wright, Founder

“‘You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.’” Exodus 20:16

Most of us would never describe ourselves as liars.

Yet honesty involves much more than simply avoiding major falsehoods. It includes the half-truths we tell, the details we exaggerate, and the facts we conveniently leave out when they make us look better– or make someone else look worse. It includes gossip. In the New Testament, the Greek word ‘diabolos’ is translated as gossip. To lie and gossip is to be like the devil.

The ninth commandment reminds us that truth matters because God is a God of truth.

When dishonesty enters our lives, trust begins to disappear. Relationships suffer. Reputations are damaged. Credibility is lost. Even small lies have a way of growing larger over time.

That is why Scripture repeatedly calls us to speak the truth. Honesty creates trust, while deception creates distance.

One reason lying is so dangerous is that it often becomes a habit. The more we lie, the more we feel we have to lie—to protect ourselves. Eventually, we begin to deceive ourselves as well as others.

Of course, being truthful does not mean being harsh. God’s Word calls us to speak the truth in love. Our goal is not simply to be right. Our goal is to reflect the character of Christ.

Followers of Christ are called to something better. We serve a Savior who is “the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6). As His people, our words should be marked by honesty, integrity, and trustworthiness.

Truth matters because it reflects the character of the God we worship.

DIG DEEPER
Read “Want to Know the Truth?” also by Bryant Wright