{"id":20298,"date":"2023-01-19T09:00:42","date_gmt":"2023-01-19T14:00:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/doinglifetogether\/?p=20298"},"modified":"2023-01-14T17:46:07","modified_gmt":"2023-01-14T22:46:07","slug":"everybody-lies-once-in-awhile-dont-they","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/doinglifetogether\/2023\/01\/everybody-lies-once-in-awhile-dont-they.html","title":{"rendered":"Everybody Lies Once in Awhile, Don’t They?"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Have you ever done something 99%? Well, some people feel telling the truth 99% of the time is good enough. It\u2019s OK to tell a little white lie here and there. But is it? If you drank milk that was 99% milk but 1% vinegar, would it be OK? This idea that little white lies are harmless is wrong, however, this thinking has become a part of our culture.<\/p>\n

In fact, University of New England professor, David Livingstone Smith says, \u201cpart of becoming socialized is learning how to lie in expected and acceptable ways.\u00a0 If you aren\u2019t capable of concealing truth, you\u2019re not going to thrive in human society.\u201d Really? \u00a0This is terrible advice.<\/p>\n

Researcher, Dr. Tim Levine, who studies deception at the University of Alabama at Birmingham says people lie daily between 0 to 2 times a day, with 1% of people being prolific liars (more than 15 lies a day). While this may seem like good new (most people are fairly honest) even one lie a day is too many.<\/p>\n

So why do we do it? The reasons for lying vary. We may lie to not hurt someone\u2019s feelings, to avoid punishment, to manipulate someone, to look better to others, etc. No matter the reason, lying is damaging to relationships as it breaks trust. And lying is directly addressed in 20 verses in the Bible.<\/p>\n

For example, Proverbs 6:17 says lying is an abomination to the Lord.\u00a0Proverbs 12:22 tells us, \u201cLying lips are an abomination to the Lord; but they that deal truly are His delight.\u201d Proverbs 14:5 says, \u201cA faithful witness does not lie, but a false witness will utter lies.\u201d Thus, it is clear. God hates lying and it is not part of His character. Scripture tells us that it is impossible for God to lie (Hebrews 6:18).<\/p>\n

If you find yourself is a habit of lying, it is time to make a change. First, acknowledge it as wrong and then repent from the lies. God is faithful and does forgive our sins when we confess them and ask for forgiveness.<\/p>\n

Now to break the habit, begin by identifying the triggers. When does it happen and what prompts you to do it? Once you see the pattern and know the reason, remember, God gives you the power to overcome lies. His Spirit in you in more powerful than any other spirit. So, pray and ask for the self-control needed to overcome. Break the habit. There is freedom in Christ.<\/p>\n

If you do lie, admit it. Lies are usually found out eventually and then trust is broken and difficult to repair. So yes, repair the relationship by admitting you did wrong. Commit to a life of truth telling, of building honesty and integrity. These two things will take your life in a positive direction.<\/p>\n

Remember, we are always accountable to God for our behavior, but it may help to have an accountability partner whenever you are changing a bad habit. Based on Scripture, this is not a sin to accommodate. No lie of any color, white or black, is worth the spiritual cost, much less the way it negatively impacts our relationships.<\/p>\n

The Bible is very clear that lying is a sin. Today, do not listen to the cultural voices that say little white lies are OK and just something we do. Instead, look to God\u2019s word to direct your behavior.<\/p>\n

\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Have you ever done something 99%? Well, some people feel telling the truth 99% of the time is good enough. It\u2019s OK to tell a little white lie here and there. But is it? If you drank milk that was 99% milk but 1% vinegar, would it be OK? This idea that little white lies…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":419,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[913,914,917],"tags":[6846,2166,6852,1814,4693,194,1335,1338,2816],"class_list":["post-20298","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-couple-relationships","category-family-relationships-2","category-friend-relationships","tag-breaking-trust","tag-deception","tag-decieve","tag-honesty","tag-liar","tag-lies","tag-lying","tag-telling-the-truth","tag-truth"],"yoast_head":"\nEverybody Lies Once in Awhile, Don't They?<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"We may lie to not hurt someone\u2019s feelings, to avoid punishment, to manipulate someone, to look better to others, etc.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" 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