People resort to lying and deception as a seeming safe haven to flee the consequences of truth. However, lying and deception become a high price to pay eventually. Lying and deception are negative traits that destroy prosperity and well-being. Deception is the art of misleading people by false statements or false appearances. Most things are not what you think they are and most people tell lies as second nature.
1. Lying and deception are negative traits that bring curses.
But CURSED BE THE DECEIVER, which hath in his flock a male, and voweth, and sacrificeth unto the Lord a corrupt thing: for I am a great King, saith the Lord of hosts, and my name is dreadful among the heathen.
Malachi 1:14
The Bible says that a deceiver is cursed. Remember that a cursed person is a frustrated person. Nothing works out for him and he will always be lamenting about his misfortunes. Cursed is the deceiver, says the Word of God. The deceiver will be frustrated. The deceiver will not succeed. The deceiver will not be happy. The deceiver will be disappointed. Take heed and do not be a deceiver!
2. Lying and deception are coverings for hatred.
When somebody lies to you, the person hates you. The Bible is clear about this and says, “A lying tongue hateth those that are afflicted by it…” (Proverbs 26:28). The Bible also teaches that deception is the covering of someone’s hatred for you. “Whose hatred is covered by deceit, his wickedness shall be shown before the whole congregation.” (Proverbs 26:26). A person full of deception and hatred is not going to build anything good. He is an evil person who will self-destruct. Such a person should not be a leader. The Bible predicts the self-destruction of wicked people. “But the wicked shall be cut off from the earth, and the transgressors shall be rooted out of it” (Proverbs 2:22). “…Men of bloodshed and deceit will not live out half their days…” (Psalm 55:23, NASB).
3. Lying and deception are negative traits that cause division and discord among brethren.
“A perverse man spreads strife, and a slanderer separates intimate friends” (Proverbs 16:28, NASB). Lies are known to separate close friends and relatives. Lying has the ability to draw a sword between the closest people. Such characteristics will never lead to increase. Deception will cause you to lose everything, to divide everything, to fragment everything and to break up everything. Imagine the havoc cause by a combination of lying and deception! Leaders who lie to different sections of their people to please them end up losing everything.
4. Lying and deception are negative traits of people who imagine evil things.
“Deceit is in the heart of them that imagine evil…” (Proverbs 12:20). A person who imagines evil is probably not a good candidate for leadership. Imagining evil can be a foundation for unfruitfulness because you are filled with an imagination – not a deed. A person who continually imagines evil is not going to become prosperous. The evil that he imagines will be his own downfall. Notice what the Bible says. “Though they intended evil against you and devised a plot they will not succeed …” (Psalm 21:11, NASB).
5. Lying and deception are negative traits that cause all your successes to be short-lived. “The lip of truth shall be established forever: but a lying tongue is but for a moment” (Proverbs 12:19). Lies are short-lived with serious consequences. Because deception is a false foundation what is built on it is short-lived and often comes crumbling down after a while. A marriage built on deception will come crumbling down after a short while. A good leader seeks survival but an organization built on deception will come crumbling down after a short while. This is why deception is such a negative and destructive trait. Do not live by lying and deception!
6. Lying and deception are negative traits that lead to punishment and destruction.
A false witness shall not be unpunished and he that speaketh lies shall perish. Proverbs 25:18
Punishment and perishing are your future because of your lies and deception. Note that you will suffer punishment when you speak lies. This means that you will be an unproductive leader because of your lies. Try hard to stay away from speaking lies because of its consequences.
The results of lying and deception are difficult to bear. The consequences are able to undo the great works of a leader. Let us try to stay away from lying and deception. And let us continue in pray for our leaders that they be far removed from lying and deception!
Culled from “He that hath, to him shall be given;
And he that hath not, from him shall
Be taken even that which he hath”
theaol@ymail.com
By Dag Heward-Mills