Liars by Nature

Psalm 58:1 Do ye indeed speak righteousness, O congregation? do ye judge uprightly, O ye sons of men?
2 Yea, in heart ye work wickedness; ye weigh the violence of your hands in the earth.
3 The wicked are estranged from the womb: they go astray as soon as they be born, speaking lies.

INTRODUCTORY THOUGHTS

The Bible plainly teaches that men are, by nature, prone to sinning. As soon as children learn to speak, they purposefully begin to spout out lies. In fact, children do not have to be taught how to lie, but must be taught the importance of telling the truth. Sometimes the lies come naturally as a means of self-preservation, protecting themselves from judgment or punishment for wrongdoing. Every parent remembers occasions when something went wrong at home and as they tried to determine the guilty party, no child would admit to knowing of any wrongdoing. King David understood this truth. He said, “the wicked are estranged from the womb.” He went on to say, “they go astray as soon as they be born, speaking lies.” Unfortunately, the most natural thing a man might ever do is to lie. Lying may be natural but truth telling and honesty are thoroughly refreshing and demanded of God. Lying is a habit that must be stopped early in life or immediately after one’s new birth into the family of God.

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS

• (For children): Before babies learn to talk, they express themselves by crying. They cry if they are hungry, hurting, or need changing. They soon learn crying is the way to get what they want or get everyone’s attention. Sometimes they cry when nothing is wrong. When they use crying just to get their way, it is a form of lying. Older children sometimes fall into the same trap.

• (For everyone): Think back over your life and recall times when you lied to protect yourself. Was this a righteous or unrighteous act? Have you asked the Lord to forgive you for lying and to help you stop?

• Do you remember a time when you were asked a question (i.e., “What are you doing?”); and before you knew it, you had given a lie for the answer (i.e., “Nothing.”)? Why do we do things like that? Why does it seem to take so much effort to tell the truth?

PRAYER THOUGHTS

• Ask God to make you conscious of the times when you tell lies.

• Ask God to give you a holy desire to speak the truth at all times.

SONG: Only a Sinner

Pastor Andrew Ray

Devotions on Truthfulness