- Proverbs 19:5 (NKJV) The false witness will not go unpunished…
Needless to say, it got my attention a few days ago when a lady told me, “Oh Pastor, I’m going to have your baby next Sunday.” Turns out she was right…sorta. She is working in the nursery next Sunday and will be taking care of my granddaughter: Annie.
This illustrates an important principle about managing your words: The importance of telling the truthfully.
Now let me make it clear, the lady mentioned above was completely innocent when she made the statement, “Oh Pastor, I’m going to have your baby next Sunday.”
However, the sad truth is that everyday people intentionally tell the truth untruthfully.
For example, recently I read a news article from an anti-big business columnist who started his article with this heading: “Walmart bribes its way through Mexico.”
The truth is, the columnist is probably right. However, if he wanted to relate that fact truthfully he would have highlighted that virtually any company that makes it in Mexico (big companies or “mom & pops”) has to bribe their way in, unfortunately that is a part of the culture there. But this columnist, in order to prove a point, used the truth untruthfully – we call it “spin.”
This happens every day: people make hurtful, over-the-top, out-of-context, to-their-advantage statements (that may even be true up to a point) that end up doing harm.
When we tarnish someone’s reputation or use the facts in an unfair way to gain advantage, or bludgeon someone with words or participate in “recreational gossip” around the water cooler, we may be telling the truth but we are not doing so truthfully. The Bible calls that being a false witness and God hates it and so should we.
So to recap: One of the most significant things you can do to increase your chances of success and happiness in 2013 is managing your words better. This includes:
- FIRST: Speak only what is necessary
SECOND: Speak only the truth
THIRD: Speak the truth truthfully
The ONE THING 