Mowing The Lawn

            The other day, Becca made the off-handed comment that it was getting to be “lawn-mowing” weather again.  About a week later, she hinted that I should do it soon and I said that I would.  And, about a week after that, she asked me if I would mow the lawn.  That is when I remembered that we left the gas can in Oklahoma.  So, I told her that I would get a new gas can soon and then I would mow the lawn.  Well, I kept forgetting to get a gas can, but I kept saying that I would remember and get one and mow the lawn.  And, then it rained.  And, then we had our Gospel meeting.  And, finally, about a month after she originally asked me to, I got around to mowing the lawn.

            We know that the Lord hates lying (Proverbs 6:16-19).  In fact, it is an abomination to Him (Proverbs 12:22).  And, we know that anyone who is deceitful will not be in Heaven (Psalm 101:7; Revelation 21:8).  Christians, people who are trying to be more like Christ every day (John 14:6; Galatians 2:20) and trying to bring the word of truth to the sin-dark world (2 Timothy 4:2; Ephesians 4:15), are not to practice any deceit (Colossians 3:9-10).  We know all of this.

            What do we think of when we think of lying?  Do we think of a little child standing in the kitchen with a broken cookie jar lying at his feet nervously declaring that he didn’t do it?  Do we think of telling Grandma that, “Yeah, I really wanted body wash and tube socks for Christmas... for the fifth year in a row”?  Do we think of a husband telling his wife that dinner was delicious?  Do we think of a wife telling her husband that she’ll be ready in “five minutes”?  Do we think of an employee who tells his boss “Yeah, I’ll get right on that” without any intention of getting right on it?  Do we think of cheating on a test or assignment at school or at work?  Do we think of cheating on a spouse?  Do we think of “cheating” on our Lord?

            Lying is more than telling “little white lies.”  It’s even more than saying something you don’t mean.  Lying is pride.  Whether a person lies because they don’t want to suffer some loss or because they know it is what the other person wants to hear or because they think the truth will hurt someone’s feelings, lying always comes down to putting oneself above everyone else, putting oneself above the truth, even putting oneself above the Lord and His infinite wisdom.  And, to put it plainly, that is something no one has the right to do.

            The long and the short of it is this: the Lord has told us to make our “yes” to mean “yes” and our “no” to mean “no” (Matthew 5:37).  For us to do so is obedience.  It is humility (Philippians 2:3-4).  It is love (1 Corinthians 13:4-8).  It is what is best for everyone (Matthew 7:7-12).  And, it is what we must do at all times, at all costs. 

            So, let us hate lying (Psalm 119:163) and let us put to silence lying lips (Psalm 31:18).  Instead, let us speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15) with each other (Ephesians 4:25).  Let us always mean what we say and do what we say we’re going to do (Matthew 5:37); let’s “mow that lawn,” so to speak.  And, let us do it all to the glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31).

~Curtis Carwile