A young sailor had charge of the ship’s supply room, when one day the captain came and took two gallons of paint.
“Where are you going with that, sir?” asked the young sailor.
The captain said, “Just write it off under maintenance.”
The sailor replied, “No sir, I cannot do that. I will not lie for you, sir.” The captain was stunned.
“Sir,” continued the young man, “I am under a higher command than yours and God has commanded me not to lie.
If I can lie for you, I can also lie to you, sir.”
That thought had obviously not entered the captain’s mind. He walked away angry and embarrassed, but also enlightened.
The incident was not forgotten. The captain came to depend on the sailor for issues requiring trust.
Lies come in different shapes and sizes. We minimize their evil by calling them little white lies, fudges, or the fine art of exaggeration.
Lies can even come in silence.
Liars live by a double standard. They lie as often as they wish, but expect everyone else to deal honestly with them.
So what’s the big deal?
Truth goes with trust. Those who lie will never be trustworthy. It only takes one lie to lose credibility for a lifetime.
When it comes to God, truth and trust are eternal issues.
The Bible declares that it is impossible for God to lie. Because of this, we have strong consolation and can trust him to the fullest extent.
Further, the promises of God are in writing, making the Bible a legal document, a will.
Jesus’ death and resurrection prove that not only is he faithful, he has the power to perform his promises.
What a combination of assurances.
The word of God contains exceedingly great and precious promises from the heart of a God who cannot lie. What a great place to rest.
