Gospel Truth

The Lord detests lying lips, but he delights in people who are trustworthy.

– Proverbs 12:22

“With lies you may go ahead in the world,” says a Russian proverb, “but you can never go back.” 

It’s a reminder that credibility and character matter. And that seems to be the public’s message to the news media following several high-profile scandals.

In 2015 Brian Williams lost his job as anchor of NBC Nightly News after he fabricated reports related to the Iraq War and Hurricane Katrina. New York Times reporter Jayson Blair resigned in 2003 after he plagiarized and made up portions of his stories. And in 2004, USA Today’s Pulitzer-nominated correspondent Jack Kelley quit after he was accused of concocting source material and writing articles that were largely fiction. 

The damage has added up. A 2024 Gallup poll reveals that for the third consecutive year, more U.S. adults have no trust at all in the media (36%) than trust it a great deal or fair amount. What’s more, another 33% of Americans express “not very much” confidence in the media.

Once we’ve lost our credibility through lies, deception, and betrayal, how can we ever retrieve it? That’s the question King Solomon seems to convey through Proverbs 11:3: 

“People who can’t be trusted are destroyed by their own dishonesty.”

There are several ways we can hurt ourselves and others through our dishonest words and deeds. For example, flattery is a form of lying since it tells people what they want to hear — regardless of its veracity. We can also be dishonest through exaggeration. Likewise, cheating (or fudging the truth so we come out on top) is a particularly serious issue since it can impact personal and business relationships. What’s more, we also lie when we break our promises. Jesus touched on this in Mattew’s gospel by warning his followers to avoid the common practice of using God’s name to lend credibility to their words.

Dishonesty is like a heavy chain that weighs us down and holds us back. But the truth — and the clear conscience that accompanies it — is liberating. Of course, walking the walk after talking the talk can be hard. And conveying honesty and integrity can even cost you something in certain situations. As Christ-followers, however, we must always reflect the words and deeds of our Creator, who’s always faithful and dependable: 

“God is not a man, so He doesn’t lie,” we read in Numbers 23:19. “He’s not human, so he doesn’t change his mind. Has he ever spoken and failed to act? Has he ever promised and not carried it through?”

That’s what’s said about Him. So, what do our words and deeds say about us?