Exodus 20:16

You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor. – Exodus 20:16

"Lying distorts reality. We give a false testimony, or tell a lie about something, to change someone’s perception. It may be a person’s opinion of us, our abilities or strength. It may be to change their perception of another person. Either way, we are trying to be “God” in the situation. We are actually taking control over another person’s mind and emotions when we tell lies. Lying is an offense to God because he has commanded that we have no other gods before him-including us! If we believe and trust God to love and care for us in all things, we never have to lie to try and manipulate the circumstances. We only lie because we do not believe God is big enough to handle a given situation, so we take control of people and things with our words. We act like we are God in the situation. Trust that God is ‘large and in charge’ of everything in your life. Allow him to be your defender and you will no longer need to lie."

As I watch President Obama just now say, "No one is more committed to manned space flight than I am."  I want to pull a Senator Wilson and scream LIAR.  Just as I am reading this scripture about lying.  Lying to manipulate the circumstances. Politics.  Lying to manipulate the situation and our view of what they are doing behind the scenes.

I had never viewed lying as trying to be God.  Telling the truth lets Him handle the situation.  If you tell the truth, who can hold it against you.  Others may lie, but the truth is the truth.  You know only what you know and you tell the truth about what you know, then it is the truth.

I met a woman when I was working at Harding University named, Juanelle Teague, her motto is "Tell the Truth, Quicker, Faster."  I've never forgotten that.  She was impressive because of her willingness to just say it like it is.  Don't hold back because then you are known as a truthful person.

Another saying I used to have on my bulletin board when I worked for the Navy was "No one can take away your integrity but you."  The truth!  Always tell the Truth, God can work with it.  He doesn't work with lies, because he cannot lie. 

This has been an effecctive verse for me today.