The White Lie..... No Excuse to Support it
Hey, how are you today? There is a word for you in this message.....
source Of all the lies that swirl around us every day, the one that attempts to convince us that there is such a thing as a ‘white lie’ might be the most overlooked. It seems that we have learned to place a guard over our hearts for the lie that tells us our sin doesn’t hurt anyone. We know that all sin leads to death – physical maybe but spiritual definitely. But do we truly understand the damage our seemingly innocent lies leave behind?
“A lying tongue hates those it hurts, and a flattering mouth works ruin.” (Proverbs 26:28)
When Jesus confronted the Samaritan woman at the well (John 4), he didn’t console her with a white lie that smoothed over her sin. He stated it honestly, yet in love. In fact, his honesty was in fact great love. He could have overlooked her life of sin. If he had, the woman might have gone on to have a good day. She might not have been embarrassed by having a stranger declare “You have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband.” She could have lied when he asked her to go and get her husband. She could have claimed the man she lived with to be her husband – they were living as husband and wife though they were not married. But this would have been a lie and Jesus would not have been fooled. The massive conversion of so many Samaritans would have been forfeited if lies had been exchanged instead of truth.
The lie of omission and the ‘white’ lie may be placed in a non-harmful category by our world but not by our God. Lies get in the way of blessings. Only the truth sets us free. Only the truth unlocks the chains of our lies – great and small. Speak the truth in love and see what God will do. John 4:39 says, “Many of the Samaritans from the town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony.” How many lives would have been lost if she had lied or if Jesus had overlooked her lie? The awkwardness we might feel by refusing to lie to ‘save someone’s feelings’ can never compare with the knowledge of our lie condemning them to life without Christ.
Remain blessed.