“Deliver me, O Lord, from lying lips, from a
deceitful tongue” (Psalm 120:2).
Lying is a reality in our society. Parents lie to
their children and children to their parents. The reason for denying
something to their children may not always lack of money though that
is what the parents try to convince them. Spouses do lie. Coming home
late from office is not always some urgent work that landed on the
table as ‘I was about to leave the office.’ Politicians have
perfected this art so much so that the expression ‘honest
politician’ is obsolete and is a contradiction of terms in most of
the cases. Exaggerated resume, tall claims of achievements, grades,
qualifications the list goes on.
How often do people lie? A study on American
students a few years ago found out that on an average, they lied
almost 3 times in a 10 minute conversation with strangers. Another
study in Britain found out that British men lie six times a day and
women three times.
Saints of the Old Testament especially those who
composed the Psalms took lies very seriously. The word translated as
‘lie’ in this Psalm occurs in 21 Psalms and many times more in
the rest of the Old Testament. Its synonyms comes many more times.
Isaiah was concerned with speech that is not
truthful but deceptive and misleading. He cried out, ‘for I am a
man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean
lips’ (Isa 6:5). He had to
fight political lies and deceptions all throughout his ministry.
It is not a problem in the Old Testament only but
the New Testament also exposes the sin of lie. Jesus had warned his
disciples that Devil is the source of all lies: ‘for he is a liar
and the father of lies’ (John 8:44). As in all other cases in this
aspect also Devil’s character is diagonally opposite to the
character of God for whom ‘it is impossible to lie’ (Heb 6:18).
Followers of Christ who has put on the new nature
and is growing into the likeness of Jesus Christ are exhorted not to
lie. Especially to one another: ‘Do not lie to one another, seeing
that you have put off the old self with its practices’ (Col 3:9).
John’s vision of those the saints who make it to heaven is very
much in line with exhortation to Colossians. They are the ones in
whose ‘mouth no lie was found, for they are blameless’ (Rev
14:5).
The early Church also had its share of liars. The
story of Ananias and Saphira stands out among them. Though they lied
to the elders of the church about the proceeds of the sale of their
property, it is considered as a lie to the Holy Spirit.
But Peter said, ‘Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land?’ (Acts 5:3).
Lying is a spiritual problem. It comes out of fear
and lack of trust in God. It reflects the character of the Devil
(liar par excellence) than of God. Jesus said that the Devil
is ‘a liar and the father of lies’ (John 8:44). It is not then
surprising that those who belong to him lie. I have come to realize
that it is easy to estimate spiritual status from how spontaneous is
lying to that person.
Some by nature resort to lie and avoid being
confronted by the truth of the Word of God or good counsel by their
pastor or spiritual peers. They sow immense damage to themselves as
they spiritually wilt away in the course of time but in the process
mislead many and sometimes hurt the body of believers. That is why
the one who lies and the victims of their lies need God’s
protection.
Lying for some is a way of life. They lie not
realising they are lying. Lying is built into their system for
managing conflicts and maintaining self esteem. Many psychologists
agree that people lie in order to avoid ‘social conflicts.’ For
example when they are late for a party or dinner with a friend it is
usual for people to resort to a lie—most of the cases it would be
adverse traffic conditions, an unexpected visitor, or any other
convenient lie. Friends lie to each other about their status,
finances, relationships and so on, all with the intention to keep
good relationships.
Psychologist Robert Feldman finds the main reason
for lying is a threatened self esteem. Many people have a ‘real
self’ and ‘ideal self.’ When the ideal self (or what they
really want to be) is farther away from their ‘real self’ (or
what they really are now) they bridge the gap through lies. People
claim what they are not and what they did not achieve.
There may be a number or explanations why people
lie but one things is clear: lies hurt. Lies hurt first the person
who lies and then it hurts the people whom they are lying about. It
also hurts who act on the lies that they believe. That is why the
Psalmist prayed for deliverance from lies.
Lies hurt the person who lies. I know a man who
opened the door of a running car and jumped out of it hurting
himself. The driver had slowed down spotting a large truck that was
about to enter his lane. However, according to the one who jumped
out, the car was about to ram into a truck. The door on the passenger
side opened on its own as the driver applied the brake suddenly and
he was thrown out of the car. I checked with the driver. It was true
there was a truck ahead of them and he had to slow down. But the door
was intact and it will not open in any situation on its own. It has
never happened with that car before or after.
This person has a problem of seeing things and
hearing voices. That runs in the family. He sincerely thought that
the car is about to ram into the truck. Out of panic he opened the
door and jumped out. He acted on a lie that his sick mind told him.
When he later recognized his mistake shame made him to blame the door
and the driver. It hurt him physically and emotionally. It hurt also
the driver emotionally who had to take the blame. We can forgive this
man if we are willing to accept the fact that he did it trusting his
mind which was a bit faulty at times. However, lies hurt.
We need protection from lies for many reasons.
First of all, our lies backfire to our own harm. We may be caught and
the self-esteem that we built up through lying and false pretensions
collapse under the weight of it.
Secondly, lies distance us from ourselves. When we
lie we have to tell more lies to keep the lies alive. Then as we
build upon each previous lie we go far from the reality and end up
living a false reality. We end up in a false self image: an ideal
self than the real self. The real self which need care, nurture and
growth is ignored as we live in ‘an ideal life.’ Lies distance
people from us. Lies hurt the villains.
Lies also hurt the victims badly. Lies that people
say about us hurt our reputation and our relationships. Lies can be
harmful to an extent that some lies could turn to be mortal. When two
scoundrel’s gave a false testimony about Naboth he not only lost
his property but also his life (1 Kings 21:1-16).
Victims of lies are not only the people who are
lied about but also those believe the lies about others. Those who
are gullible distance themselves, hate or even attack the innocent
victims of lies. Thus those who believe and act upon lies become
victims of the lies they are told.
Lies are harmful but who can protect us from lies?
I am not aware how many lies about me are out there doing their
rounds. Even if know, I cannot go around and defend myself. Even if I
defend people still may not believe me! I am least aware of the
damage it has caused and it would cause. Lies are silent destroyers.
Lies never build anything up. We are totally helpless as victims of
lies.
It is this sense of helplessness that makes the
Psalmist turn to God for deliverance as he cries out, “Deliver me,
O Lord, from lying lips, from a deceitful tongue” (Psalm 120:2).