Sunday – Trustworthy/Truthful men DO NOT lie.
“…a trustworthy witness WILL NOT lie…” Prov. 14:5 (emphasis added)
“He who conceals hatred has lying lips.” Prov. 10:18
“Do you promise to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help you God?” Familiar words even if we’ve never been asked them. As I ponder this subject, our country is in the middle of an impeachment trial of President Donald Trump. I am saddened at the state of our society in which pure hatred has replaced the oath of office for many House members and Senators and seems to have been conveniently shelved, along with the commitment to serve those who elected them.
In the list of seven things the Lord hates, two deal with lying: “…a lying tongue” and “a false witness who utters lies…”[1] To add further emphasis to the Lord’s attitude toward liars, hear this: “A worthless person, a wicked man, is the one who walks with a perverse mouth…who continually devises evil, who spreads strife…his calamity will come suddenly.”[2]
I believe we are on a slippery slope leading to destruction. Wherever we look, there is hatred, bigotry and selfishness that manifests in church, shopping mall, movie theater shootings and bombings. Respect for law enforcement has deteriorated to a dangerous level. How should the man of God react to all this? I believe it starts with a commitment to the truth; such things as not compromising our (God’s) standards, rightly representing His Word in our lives and to others and keeping our promises even when it hurts.
One thing I need to remember, and maybe some of you are in the same boat, is to not use the truth as a club for the purpose of venting on anyone. The Bible is clear, “…with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth,”[3] And, “A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.”[4] Let’s remember, it’s God’s truth and we are Christ’s ambassadors.[5] Jesus was not afraid to confront the lost and hypocrites of His day, and we should do the same with boldness because truth is on our side. We are to be filled with the fruit of the Holy Spirit: “Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control…”[6]
Heavenly Father, Sometimes I get angry at the lunacy of the world and forget that most likely they’re lost and on their way to destruction. I ask You to replace that anger with a heart for their souls and a desire to pray that they would come to know You before it’s too late. In Christ’s name, Amen.
[1] Prov. 6:16-19
[2] Prov. 6:12-15
[3] II Tim. 2:25
[4] Prov. 15:1
[5] II Cor. 5:20
[6] Gal. 5:22, 23
Monday – Trustworthy/Truthful men keep their word, even to their own detriment.
“Oh Lord, who may abide in Your tent? Who may dwell on Your holy hill? He (who) swears to his own hurt and does not change…” Ps. 15:1, 4
King Solomon, writing on behalf of God, said, “When you make a vow to God, do not be late in paying it; for He takes no delight in fools. Pay what you vow.”[1] A vow is a promise. We make wedding vows “’til death do us part.” Unfortunately, today’s version is more like, “’til I’m tired of you or find somebody better.” According to God, you’re a fool if you vow and break it. Strong language, but it frames the seriousness God ascribes to keeping our word.
Why do you think people lie? I believe there are two main reasons. First, to achieve some real or imagined advantage over someone. Second, to avoid consequences for bad behavior. Rather than lying, the best way to avoid consequences for bad behavior it to avoid bad behavior in the first place. God’s ways are not our ways.[2] God’s laws are black and white; there’s no gray area, no fudging, no such thing as a “white” lie. A lie is a lie. Men cheat on their wives. They lie. Men cheat on their taxes. They lie. Men steal. They lie. You getting the drift? Avoid the behavior. Avoid the lie.
Take the example of a sports player who signs a multi-year contract—a promise, a vow—and after one spectacular year, he wants to renegotiate for more money. He is not a trustworthy man. Now, there are many who would encourage him to break his word by saying things like, “You deserve it. Without you, the team wouldn’t be in the playoffs.” But what does God say? Fool! Sorry, my job is to tell you the truth. What you do with it is up to you. We’ll get to compromising later in the week.
As men of God, our standard is much different and higher than the world’s. We can represent our Savior honestly by our lives and bring glory to Him. Or we can represent Him dishonorably by our lives and bring shame to His name. The choice is ours. Our focus, our goal is what will determine glory or shame. We either believe God means what He says, or we don’t. In a book by Andrew Murray, in the very first chapter, he says, “Nothing dishonored and grieved Him (God) so much as unbelief.”[3] As God’s children, we disappoint God through our limited faith. It’s the one thing that seemed to exasperate Jesus in His disciples more than anything else.[4] I encourage you to think before you vow. God is watching.
Lord God, no excuses. I have sinned by lying and breaking promises. Forgive me. Help me keep my eyes on Your standard, not the world’s. Amen
[1] Eccl.5:4
[2] Isa. 55:8
[3] The Two Covenants and the Second Blessing, ©2014 Ichthus Publications
[4] Matt. 6:30; 8:26; 14:31; 16:18; 17:20
Tuesday – Trustworthy/Truthful men don’t worry about a “hot mic”.
“…in your bedchamber do not curse a king, and in you sleeping rooms do not curse a rich man, for a bird of the heavens will carry the sound and the winged creature will make the matter known.” Eccl. 10:20
“…be sure your sin will find you out.” Num. 32:23
Mar 26,2012, President Obama was overheard on a hot mic telling President Dmitri Medvedev of Russia he would have “more flexibility” to negotiate with Putin after the election.
In today’s tech-savvy world, any smart phone can capture audio and video with clarity. This overheard event created quite a stir. And just as in consequences for bad conduct, the way to avoid “hot mic” situations is never to say anything about anybody you wouldn’t say to their face. Not easy. The coffee breaks. The smoke breaks. The ball games. So many opportunities to “share.” King Solomon said, “he who is trustworthy conceals a matter.”[1] And that includes opinions that are intended to do harm.
My question for us today is this: Do we have or want a reputation of being trustworthy and truthful? A reputation can take a lifetime to build, but only a moment—one instance—to destroy.
When my kids were little, they knew the punishment would be more severe if they lied about it. We always hear about God’s love, grace and mercy. And thankfully, He is all those things. We don’t often hear about His wrath, His judgment, the things He hates. On Sunday, we learned just how much He hates lying and liars; two of the big seven. So, we may never be on national TV, but what consequence would you face if you told a coworker how stupid you think the boss is, and it got back to him? Or, you’re the boss and hear through the grapevine that one of your employees thinks you’re stupid. Mercy or judgment?
Realize that every time we break this commandment (“thou shalt not bear false witness”[2]), we test the Lord with something He hates. Are you a Christian? Yes, you’re forgiven. But why do you presume on God’s goodness and risk damaging your testimony? Make a commitment to always speak the truth, no matter the audience.
Father, remind me often that no matter the audience, You’re always listening and watching, to bless me for sure, but also to correct and reprove. Thank You that You know my name. In Christ, Amen.
[1] Prov. 11:13
[2] Ex. 20:16
Wednesday – Trustworthy/Truthful men don’t bend scripture for their own benefit.
“Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the Word of truth.” II Tim. 2:15
God is jealous.[1] For His glory. For His name. For His Word. We do well to remember that when we take verses out of context and apply them to a teaching not intended in the original. For example, “For I know the plans that I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.”[2] This promise was specifically to the Israelites during 70 years of exile in Babylon. Many “teachers” today use this verse to say things like, “God wants you to be rich” or “God wants you to be healthy” and it’s usually followed up with a plea for money. This is not to say that God doesn’t, in a general sense, want those things for us. But to teach that it is for everyone always is not “accurately handling the Word of truth.” Remember James’ warning, “Let not many of you become teachers, my brethren, knowing that as such we will incur a stricter judgment.”[3] If we are to teach from God’s Word, we better be sure that what we’re teaching is right, is truth and is for everybody.
So, today’s discussion is not intended to discourage you from teaching. Just encouraging you to have right motives and approach God’s Word with humility and awe. Humility, knowing that the Creator of the universe has trusted us with His character, His heart, His desire that all men come to know the truth.[4] Awe, in that God is always part of the audience to whom we speak and He’s grading us on how we handle His Word.
Being trustworthy in the world sets us apart from the majority (“Many a man proclaims his own loyalty, but who can find a trustworthy man?”)[5] But being trustworthy in God’s eyes puts a whole different value on us. Wouldn’t it be great to be a man… “after God’s heart”[6] and “whose heart is completely His?”[7] The good news is that we can. Today’s verse gives the answer: Be diligent (be faithful, be disciplined in and by the Word, don’t lie) and we will be “approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed.” Okay, workmen. It’s time to punch in.
God, Give me wisdom to understand Your Word and to live by it and teach it faithfully in truth and humility. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
[1] Exo. 20:5; Deut. 4:24
[2] Jer. 29:11
[3] Jas. 3:1
[4] I Tim. 2:4
[5] Prov. 20:6
[6] I Sam. 13:34; Acts13:22
[7] II Chron. 16:9
Thursday – Trustworthy/Truthful men do not compromise the truth.
“Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, but those who deal faithfully are His delight.” Prov.12:22
The dictionary defines compromise as “a settlement of differences by mutual concessions.”[1] That often works fine in the workplace or at home in a disagreement with our wives about new furniture or where to eat dinner. But not so much when truth is at stake. The Apostle Paul says, “our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but…rulers…powers…world forces of this darkness…spiritual forces of wickedness”.[2] One of Satan’s favorite tools—especially when he knows an outright lie won’t work—is to get us to compromise. We discussed this Monday. No lies, no fudging, no gray areas when it comes to the truth.
Why are we so often eager to vacate the high ground of truth to wallow in the muck of half-truths and lies propagated by those empowered by what Paul warned against? It could be we feel alone, outnumbered, outsmarted. And, in our own power, that may be true. But, fellow soldiers, we don’t fight in our own power. We represent almighty God, the Creator, the author of truth. Rather than seeking the approval of men, we need to remember whose army we’re in…and that the battle is already won. We don’t have to give account to the world, only to God.
What are some hard to recognize compromises we routinely make? How about speed limits? Are they mere suggestions? Or movies with language and sex? Or pornography (because it’s not hurting anyone)? Or taking a little longer for lunch? Or speaking up when others profane God’s name or His truth? The reason these might be hard to recognize is we’ve become accustomed to them over time (the frog in the pot syndrome) and consider them normal. And we want to be liked, to be accepted. But what does God say? “Do not be bound together with unbelievers…”[3] and “…come out from their midst and be separate.”[4]
Men, our lives are to be different from the world. If we’re not, why would anyone want Christ? Our verse today tells us to “deal faithfully” and we will “delight” the Lord. What better stamp of approval could we ask for? I’ll close with this. Are we only concerned with delighting ourselves with temporary pleasures, or is our focus a little more long-range?
Father, When I consider Your standard, I realize how far short I fall in meeting it. I confess that sometimes I don’t even want to meet it because compromise is comfortable and I’m lazy. Help me to focus on the end of the road, not the potholes along the way. In Christ’s name, Amen.
[1] dictionary.com
[2] Eph.6:12
[3] II Cor. 6:14
[4] II Cor. 6:17
Friday – Trustworthy/Truthful men can handle the church’s money.
“Now he (Judas) said this, not because he was concerned about the poor but because he was a thief, and as he had the money box, he used to pilfer what was put into it.” John 12:6
One of the easiest temptations to fall into is mishandling money. Stealing is obvious, but so is paying too much, being open to bribes, etc. Pilfer is an interesting word. It means stealing, especially in small quantities. So, did Judas pilfer because there wasn’t a way to hide larger sums? Or maybe there wasn’t that much in the money box to begin with and more would have been missed. Whichever, he was a thief…and untrustworthy. Aside from betraying Jesus, being a thief is all we know about Judas. But how did John know about it to include it in his gospel? Hmmm. Something to think about when we think we’re so clever in our sin and nobody knows.
In today’s church, especially the larger ones, a lot of money flows through the coffers. But my question is how much of it gets invested in ministry and missions rather than bigger paychecks, bigger buildings and bigger wait for it…jets? There will be an accounting and it’s not the IRS. Keep in mind our topic of the week: Trustworthy and Truthful. Character qualities God highly values. Malachi has a question for money managers in churches: “Will a man rob God?” and God’s position: “You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing Me.”[1] Protection for the man of God is in accountability, two or three trustworthy men who share in managing God’s money in a church setting. Two signers on checks. Two (or more) counters of offerings. Simple checks and balances that trustworthy men should embrace.
The words money, riches and wealth are used nearly 300 times in the Bible. Frequency is a strong indicator of importance (to God). What a man does to get money, how he spends and invests it and how generous he is with it says volumes about whether it is an idol. And we know what God thinks about idols. Not all of us will ever be called upon to handle God’s money in a church. But isn’t all money God’s? And aren’t we accountable for how we treat it? If you have a problem in this area, please don’t wait for disaster to strike. There are several good Christian programs to help get our arms around it. Start by confessing the problem to our Father who will abundantly pardon.[2] Then find another man who is trustworthy to be an accountability partner. The measure of a man is not in how big his bank account is but in how loosely he holds onto it whatever the size.
Lord God, It all belongs to you and I’m just a manager. Give me wisdom to manage whatever you give me according to Your plans. Thank You that Your blessings are new every morning. Great is Your faithfulness. In Christ’s name, Amen.
[1] Mal. 3:8, 9
[2] Isa. 55:7
Saturday – Trustworthy/Truthful men love and defend the truth.
“…but I give an opinion as one who by the mercy of the Lord is trustworthy.” I Cor. 7:25
When we open our mouths, what comes out? The psalmist said, “(the wicked) have closed their unfeeling heart, with their mouth they speak proudly.”[1] Jesus said, “for the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart.”[2] To paraphrase, Jesus also said, “good treasure (in the heart) begets good words; evil treasure begets evil words”[3]. Do you ever wonder why so much hatred and lying spews from certain politicians or co-workers? Sadly, it exposes what is truly in their hearts. Proverbs tells us, “When he (a whisperer, v22) speaks graciously, do not believe him, for there are seven abominations in his heart.”[4] The dictionary defines abominable as repugnantly hateful; detestable; loathsome. It belies their lostness and should cause us sorrow that they don’t know Jesus; It should cause us to pray for their salvation.
So, I’ll ask again. When we open our mouths, what comes out? Paul was arguably one of the greatest preachers in the Bible. But look what he says in today’s verse: “by the mercy of the Lord.” That’s humility. His opinions were trustworthy because of God’s mercy and that’s what filled his heart. Are our opinions backed up by God’s mercy or are they filled with wrong motives (e.g. revenge, jealousy, etc.) or wrong goals like one-upmanship?
On Thursday, we talked about compromise when someone profanes our God. This should fill us with righteous anger for God’s name and His holiness and it should be hard for us to keep quiet. We are marked as trustworthy by our lifestyle as well as our words. By what we take a stand for. By what we defend. Think back over this week’s ideas and remember who’s watching and keeping score. Wednesday, we were reminded to be diligent (i.e. faithful and disciplined). How are we doing when confronted by enemies of our Savior?
I encourage us to guard our tongues and if we are prone to give opinions, especially when not invited to, wait on the Holy Spirit for the proper openings. And when we open our mouths, let’s be sure that our hearts are filled with good treasure.
Heavenly Father, Fill my heart with good treasure—truth—from Your Word so that when I open my mouth it’s Your opinion that comes out. Give me boldness to speak up, to defend Your truth and You to an unbelieving world so desperate, so in bondage by Satan and his lies. May I, like Paul, realize it’s only because of Your mercy that I can claim trustworthiness. Thank You for trusting me with Your reputation. In Christ, Amen.
[1] Ps. 17:10
[2] Matt. 12:34
[3] Luke 6:45
[4] Prov. 26:25