Timeless Wisdom From ProverbsSample

Proverbs 6:17–19 (NASB95) lists seven things God hates: “haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that run rapidly to evil, a false witness who utters lies, and one who spreads strife among brothers.” Two of these top seven have to do with lying. Why is that?

Lying is the antithesis of who God is. In John 14:6, Jesus said, “I am … the truth.” On the other hand, Satan is the essence of untruth. In John 8:44, Jesus said, “Satan … is a liar and he is the father of lies.” When we lie, we’re behaving more like children of Satan than children of God. That’s why God hates lying.

Solomon warned against lying in Proverbs 6:12 (NASB95). He said, “A worthless person, a wicked man, is the one who walks with a perverse mouth.” In Proverbs 12:19 (NASB95), he said, “Truthful lips will be established forever, but a lying tongue is only for a moment.” And in Proverbs 21:6 (NASB95), he said, “The acquisition of treasures by a lying tongue is a fleeting vapor, the pursuit of death.”

When Solomon warned against deceitful lips, I think he was talking about three kinds of false speech we need to abstain from. First of all, he meant to avoid flattery. Proverbs 29:5 (NASB95) says, “A man who flatters his neighbor is spreading a net for his steps.” When you listen to what you want to hear instead of what you need to hear, the result will be disastrous.

Second, Solomon said to avoid distortions or perversions of the truth. Proverbs 19:1 (NASB95) says, “Better is a poor man who walks in his integrity than he who is perverse in speech and is a fool.” That word “perverse” does not mean telling dirty jokes. It means “to twist, to distort.” Solomon was saying you need to run as far as you can from distorting the truth to deceive somebody.

Third, Solomon said to avoid exaggerations. We tend to make a good story better by embellishing the truth, but the Bible says we’re to abstain from exaggeration. The problem with lies, distortions, and exaggerations is that eventually they will be exposed. The Bible says one day all liars, distorters, and exaggerators will have to face the music. That’s why we need to flee from falsehood.