I Told A Lie

The other day I told a lie.

At the time I thought, it’s just a little white lie. Something I said to appease someone’s concern for me. But it was still a lie. And after I said it, it never even occurred to me to be sorry for it.

Only a few days later I ran into someone that was in a terrible mood. They were prideful and treated me with disdain, and this wasn’t the first time this had occurred. I judged them. Thoughts ran through my head of what a terrible testimony they were. The word sin came to mind.

As I mulled it over in my head later that day, it was almost as if God gently revealed to my own heart~ what about your sin?

Verses flooded my convicted heart. Matthew 7:1-5 where Jesus himself tells me to quit trying to get the speck out of my brother’s eye when there’s a log in mine. And then in Luke 18:10-14 Jesus tells the parable of two men. One who lists all his good works and proudly says he is so glad he isn’t like the other man. But the other man, he is the one who is truly repentant and asked God to be merciful to him. Or Proverbs 6:16-19 where 7 things are listed that God hates. A proud look and a lying tongue are the first two listed, right next to murderers. God’s word didn’t say “a lying tongue, unless it’s a little white lie.” Lying is even quoted in the book of Revelation (Revelation 21:8). It has become something we all do so easily.

Sin can be a vicious cycle. When someone does us wrong, suddenly we feel that we have every right to be upset and angry, or to talk to someone else about how terrible the other person is. We can even quote scripture “judge not” while we ourselves are judging (Matthew 7:1). The whole while bitterness is bubbling up inside us and we have fallen into satan’s trap. And that can be the case with whatever situation or sin we are struggling with.

The sad thing is, I didn’t see my little white lie as a sin. And most of the time when I realize I have sinned, I categorize the degree of sinfulness it holds. Big sins cause me to weep and repent. Little sins get a “I’m sorry God”. But am I really?

I am so thankful to God for the Holy Spirit and His work in my heart in showing me this. Sin is sin, and all our sin is what nailed Jesus to the cross.

My little white lie as much as that proud look, disdain and bad mood of another. I cannot judge or look down on another for their sin because when I do that, I myself am sinning.

These are the thoughts that make me weep and truly repent. Yes Jesus blood covers our sins, but it doesn’t give us a “get out of jail free” card to continue in sin. We need repentance. Not out of fear, but out of love. We love Him because of His overwhelming love for us. He gave Himself for us because of that love.

And, oh what a cost.

Let us never forget what Jesus did for us on the cross the next time we have a wrong thought or word…. or even tell that little white lie.

SCRIPTURE READING: Psalm 51:3-17, James 4:8-10, 1 John 1:9, Matthew 7:1-5, Luke 18:10-14, Proverbs 6:16-19, Revelation 21:8