Wednesday, June 18, 2014

Lies

"You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor." -Exodus 20.16

This final section of the Ten Commandments deals with civilization. My high school government teacher said there were two laws that make civilization possible. The second one is "Don't encroach on anyone else's rights or property" the don't steal idea. The first one would fit under commandment number nine, "Do all that you've agreed to do", be truthful and honest. Without honesty, society cannot exist.

Lies are spread to help someone get ahead, or to try and cover up something that they don't want known. How can society function like this? If no one is trustworthy how does anything good get accomplished? If there is no honesty how does order surpass chaos? If there is nothing but lies how are the rights of the people protected?

Men, how honest are you? Do you speak the truth always, no matter what the consequences might be? Or do you bend it to save your own skin when necessary? Are you trustworthy and honest by reputation? Or do you just speak what people want to hear?

Recently another season of High School Tropical Island (aka Survivor) came to an end. The guy who ended up winning drove me nuts. Every time he would make a promise to someone he'd swear on something different. He was a cop, so it started with his badge, then it moved to his wife and daughter, and finally it ended up on his father's grave. He had to keep upping the stakes because he just became more and more untrustworthy, but he was good at it, and people bought it and ended up losing. That's what happens in a society where lies are allowed to spread, he who can lie the best and most wins.

We must hold ourselves to truth and honesty. We must set a standard do speaking the truth at all times, even if it leads to our death as the quote from Kingdom of Heaven states. Are you willing to be completely honest? Without honesty everything falls apart. Let us speak the truth always.

"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."

To God alone be the Glory!

Strength and Honor

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