Liar, liar

People lie, don't they?

From just trying to be nice, to just trying to gain a slight advantage, or not wanting to look bad or sound they don’t know what they are talking about, people seem to lie quite often. You don't always know when or if someone lies, so you take people at their word, right?

Well, here is a not so surprising survey about people who lie in the workplace:
Survey: 1 in 5 workers lie

Are you surprised? Does this happen in the church? From the research I have seen, whatever ails society, unfortunately seems to ail the church just the same, and sometimes even more.

For the record, I hate liars. Liars hurt people in many ways, and overall I can't see the justification. So why lie?

For example, see the people on American Idol that think they can sing? I am willing to bet somewhere in their life people were not honest to them about their abilities, and now they end up on TV set up to feel foolish or even ashamed. So, even well intended suspension of truth can have a negative impact. That isn't right.

It has been my habit not to lie. Not even about little, or seemingly harmless things. I don't think I have mastered it yet, but I believe there is a way to be completely honest without being hurtful. I have found great comfort in not being regretful to have lied about things, or puff things up, or stroke people's ego, or all the other clever ways we seem to find in straying from the truth.

I think it is possible to try to always be completely honest, in all things, all the time. This doesn't mean being perfect, and when mistaken we can own up to it, but I don’t think there is ever a good reason to be dishonest, or lie.

Your thoughts?

Grace and peace,