Small Tales – Large Consequences
We have contemplated the subject of lying the last two days. That was not intended; we’re just reflecting on what’s been in the news. Even so, in the current issue (Feb. 21, 2015) of World magazine, Janie Cheaney writes an article on the consequences of lying, entitled “Small Tales: Even our little lies have large consequences” (pg. 22).
Cheaney references an interesting article from the New York Times from last March, written by Rebekah Campbell. That article was entitled “The Surprisingly Large Cost of Telling Small Lies” (google it; it’s still available on the NYT website). Campbell, CEO of Posse, an investment company, had asked a client of her company what was the secret of his success. She expected something along the lines of “perseverance” or “boldness” (Cheaney’s words).
What Campbell heard was astonishing – especially in 21st century America. “The secret to success in business and in life is to never, ever, ever tell a lie.”
Campbell cites some statistics from a study done by the University of Massachusetts. According to that study, in a 10-minute conversation 60% of adults have already lied! It comes as no surprise, perhaps, that 40% lie on their resumes and 90% lie when writing their profiles for on-line dating. The demographic that lies the most? According to the U of M study: teenage girls.
Campbell writes that her client “maintains that telling lies is the No. 1 reason entrepreneurs fail. Not because telling lies makes you a bad person but because the act of lying plucks you from the present, preventing you from facing what is really going on in your world. Every time you overreport a metric, underreport a cost, are less than honest with a client or a member of your team, you create a false reality and you start living in it.” Interesting.
Her client and Campbell both “read” Buddhist philosophy. Here’s the problem with “Buddhist” philosophy as it pertains to telling lies. It has no foundation to it. There’s no reason not to lie except for how it impacts you. If you continue reading Campbell’s article in the New York Times, the motivation for not lying is self-oriented. “Every time I tell a lie, I know that I am no longer present. I feel a tightening in my chest and sweat on my palms – just a small amount because I only tell little lies. …Stress saps our energy and causes nasty consequences for our bodies.”
Gokhru is cialis on line this link a natural libido enhancer. generic viagra online In case of overdose, make sure the user consults the doctor on immediate basis and on compulsory note. A lot of buy cheap cialis right here men suffering from these sexual disorders can try this medicine without faltering. This has seen a dramatic increase in the rise of browse around that now viagra 100mg generika, since it is known to effectively deal with sexual disorders in men.
Certainly, the positive results Campbell experienced by telling the truth are true and relevant. But the problem is her motivation to tell the truth. Based on her motivation, if you could improve your life by lying, then there is no reason not to lie.
The Christians’ motivation for telling the truth is higher, stronger, and more demanding. God is truth (Isaiah 65:16). He cannot lie and in Him there is absolutely no untruth (Numbers 23:19; Hebrews 6:18; Titus 1:2). If we would be like Him (“godly” – used 35 times in Scripture), then we would tell the truth and not allow any untruth to be found in us.
Not to mention the fact that we will be judged for our lies. Which brings me back to Cheaney’s article in which she writes: “We lie for all kinds of reasons, too, and some may be justified (that’s a question for another time).” I strongly deny that there is ever a justifiable reason to lie. When you open that door, you do not know where it leads. When is a lie justified? Who decides when a lie is justified? How can you know for sure?
Two further points. One, Revelation 21:8 tells us that all liars will have their part in the lake of fire. That does not sound like there are “justifiable” lies. Second, Paul teaches in 1 Corinthians 10:13 that God will not allow us to be tempted beyond what we are able to endure but will always provide a way of escape.
These two verses tell me that God will never allow one of His children to fall into a situation where he or she has to sin in order to get out of a moral conundrum. Tell the truth.
–Paul Holland
