Be True To You

The Danger of Living a Lie

The thought of being caught in a lie is bad enough. Imagine if you were a religious leader caught in a massive lie—and it made the national news.

Recently, a pastor was found to have lied for many years, claiming that he served as a Navy Seal. He talked about it during his sermons but was eventually exposed when a news organization reported his story and real Navy Seals stepped forward to reveal the truth.

It is sad when anyone feels they must invent a fake past, but it is especially tragic for a religious leader. One quote from the news report is particularly troubling:

“We deal with these guys all the time, especially the clergy. It’s amazing how many of the clergy are involved in those lies to build that flock up,” said retired SEAL Don Shipley.

Honesty and Self-Worth

Of all people, those who are close to God should feel confident in who they are. We must honor the truth above all things. You should never feel like you have to claim to be something you are not.

Sometimes, we are tempted to exaggerate. We might claim to be the best at a sport, a video game, or school to impress others. This temptation often comes when we are around people we feel are better than us.

Here are three important truths to remember when you feel tempted to lie to impress others:

1. We all have different strengths and weaknesses

The people you think are “better” than you in one area might struggle in areas where you excel. Even if that were not the case, you should never feel inferior to anyone.

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We are all made in God’s image and are completely unique.

Remember, when you lie about who you are, you are asking people to like a fake version of you. When you are honest, if someone does not accept you, consider it a blessing. You do not want to waste your life trying to live up to a lie.

2. The child of God must not lie

God’s word makes it clear that lying has no place in the life of a Christian (1 Timothy 1:10; Revelation 21:8). Honesty is a core part of following Jesus.

3. Your sins will find you out

As the Bible warns in Numbers 32:23, your sin will eventually catch up to you. Just like the pastor in the story, people will eventually discover the truth, or you will get tired of carrying the weight of the lie.

Often, lies contradict each other over time, or people simply stop believing someone who claims to be the best at everything. Even if no one else finds out, you will still have to live with the truth.

Embrace Who You Are

Be true to yourself. You are a special creation of God, and you do not have to pretend to be someone you are not.

You will be loved and accepted for who you truly are. There is no need to put on a mask for anyone.