12 Feb, 2008
Are you telling the truth?
Nevada football player made up recruiting story
Exodus 20:16 (NLT)
16 “You must not testify falsely against your neighbor."
What does today's God's Story scripture teach us about the value that God places on telling the truth?
Tyndale's LIFE APPLICATION STUDY BIBLE notes provide the insight:
20:16 To testify falsely means lying in court. God knew that Israel could not survive unless its system of justice was incorruptible. We should be honest in our private dealings as well as in our public statements. In either situation, we "testify falsely" by leaving something out of a story, telling a half-truth, twisting the facts, or inventing a falsehood. God warns us against deception. Even though deception is a way of life for many people, God's people must not give in to it!
Kevin Hart is in trouble for making up a story to make himself look like someone he is not - a Division I football recruit.
This is a great lesson for all of us. How often do we just twist the facts a little bit in order to make ourselves look better? But lies will mess up our story and the idea of connecting others to God's Story. People don't need us to look better...just normal...someone who is honest about our need to totally depend on Jesus.
God always gives us commands to obey because He has our best in mind! He wants us to tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth, all the time.
- Thank God for giving us His commands in His Holy Word. Confess any way in which you have been telling anything less the the whole truth. Thank Him for His forgiveness made possible through Christ's death on the cross. Ask His Spirit to help you continually seek the Truth about God and be empowered to live and tell His truth.
- Memorize today's verse to keep the importance of telling the truth always on your mind.
- For one week, keep a written daily journal of how you did at telling the truth in every situation and conversation. At the end of the week, look it over and ask God to help you evaluate your pattern of truth telling (or lack of) and to make any needed changes.
How can we connect today's story and God's Story scripture and our story to others?
- During the next several days, notice how often the subject of truth telling comes up in the news around the world. Let it remind you to continually ask Christ to help you be truthful with others.
- Ask those in your storysphere if they heard the story about the student lying about being recruited to play college football? If not, tell them the story and get their reaction. Use it to have a conversation about being less than truthful in order to make ourselves look better. Rather than putting them on the spot, be vulnerable about ways you have done this and express your desire to change. This is a great way for you to share the connection between your story and God's Story.
- July 2008 [18]
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