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Truthful lips shall be established forever, but a lying tongue is [credited] but for a moment. Proverbs 12:19 AMPC
An old story describes a woman and her young son walking through a cemetery. When the boy sees a tombstone reading “Here lies a lawyer and an honest man,” he asks his mother, “Why did they bury two people in that one grave?”
Okay, let’s not be too hard on the lawyers…a Gallup survey from 2022 found that of sixteen major American institutions, television news and Congress were the least trusted—and a perception of dishonesty must certainly play a role in their historically low ratings.
Certainly, some who lie get ahead in this world. But don’t breeze past that final phrase: “in this world.” The Proverbs say that lying tongues prevail “but for a moment.” The honest man (hopefully everyone reading this devotional) will have his lips “established forever.” And if your lips are eternally secure with God, you can be certain the rest of you will be there too.
It’s not easy to be 100 percent truthful. We’re often tempted to exaggerate, fabricate, fib, fudge—let’s be honest, to lie—to gain an advantage or get ourselves out of trouble. But God has promised to protect and provide for us, so don’t derail His good work with dishonesty. Lying gains are temporary. Obedient honesty pays off forever.
Prayer: Lord, give me the wisdom and courage to be truthful—every time, everywhere.
An old story describes a woman and her young son walking through a cemetery. When the boy sees a tombstone reading “Here lies a lawyer and an honest man,” he asks his mother, “Why did they bury two people in that one grave?”
Okay, let’s not be too hard on the lawyers…a Gallup survey from 2022 found that of sixteen major American institutions, television news and Congress were the least trusted—and a perception of dishonesty must certainly play a role in their historically low ratings.
Certainly, some who lie get ahead in this world. But don’t breeze past that final phrase: “in this world.” The Proverbs say that lying tongues prevail “but for a moment.” The honest man (hopefully everyone reading this devotional) will have his lips “established forever.” And if your lips are eternally secure with God, you can be certain the rest of you will be there too.
It’s not easy to be 100 percent truthful. We’re often tempted to exaggerate, fabricate, fib, fudge—let’s be honest, to lie—to gain an advantage or get ourselves out of trouble. But God has promised to protect and provide for us, so don’t derail His good work with dishonesty. Lying gains are temporary. Obedient honesty pays off forever.
Prayer: Lord, give me the wisdom and courage to be truthful—every time, everywhere.
