lies, lying, liar

Plenty has been said already about a certain sports star and his massive fall in public opinion.
Newspapers, blogs, sports shows on TV...everyone has an opinion!
Plenty of people are sinking the proverbial boot into Lance Armstrong.

While he is seen as a man full of lies, with a life of lying about what he did and didn't do, and ultimately tarnished and labelled as a liar...few have actually looked at themselves.
I mean, isn't it so much easier to point the finger at someone else?
And even better when the fault or sin they have apparently overshadows your own issues...

So what did he do?

He lied!

Now my question for you...

Have you lied?

When was the last time you told a lie?
Or maybe you see it as a half truth (at least 50% is true so that makes it ok apparently)?
Or maybe you exaggerated just to get a point across?

We all hate being lied to. It is deceit and no one likes being deceived.
At the same time, I see plenty of people doing it.
Have experienced it a lot myself.
And to my shame have probably done more than a fair share of it myself.
Even more disturbing to me is the number of "Christians" who seem to be happy to do it as well.
I have lost track of the number of lies people have told me over the years as a pastor. And when they tell you the lie it is so shocking sometimes that I don't even have a response. Sure I can think of one later, but at the time I am so taken back by it, words escape me.

When I look at how God wants you and I to live and His kids, it is pretty obvious what is not cool and what is cool, beyond what people say nowadays.

Check out these scriptures for a moment:

Colossians 3:9
Do not lie to each other...


Proverbs 6:16-19
16There are six things the Lord hates,
seven that are detestable to him:
17haughty eyes,
a lying tongue,
hands that shed innocent blood,
18a heart that devises wicked schemes,
feet that are quick to rush into evil,
19a false witness who pours out lies
and a person who stirs up conflict in the community.

You hate lying, but I think God hates it even more.
So before we sink the boot more into Lance, maybe we need to check we aren't doing something similar.
Let's have our yes be yes and our no be no.
Let's have honestly and love.
Let's lift the bar as people who are called by His name.

Something to think about...