Confess Dishonesty

My wife has a built-in lie detector!

Ann hates lies and she can detect them from afar. She used to pray that God would reveal any lies when our boys were growing up. The average American tells 11 each week. Axios reports that the lies we tell range from relatively some harmless ones – like telling someone you liked a gift when you really didn’t – to taking credit for someone else’s work. We’ve probably all told the little white lies, but the biggies are detrimental in more ways than one.

Did you know that our bodies respond to telling lies? Psychologists report that lying causes increased heart rate, high blood pressure, and higher levels of stress hormones in the blood. This can affect our mental and physical health. Whenever you detect deception in your own life, large or small, stop what you’re doing and confess it immediately. This means to confess not only to God but to the others who are involved. There are many rationalizations for not doing this, but there’s really only one reason: pride. You have to resolve not to be deceptive before the situation presents itself or it will be nearly impossible for you to do the right thing when you’re faced with a decision. You can’t assume that the victims of your deception will understand or even accept your apology. Remember, the apology isn’t just for them; it’s also for you. Proverbs 28:13 says: “Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy.”

If you’ve been blessed with My MoneyLife, I invite you to discover the Crown Stewardship Podcasts. They focus on helping you find freedom in your finances and career. You can subscribe on Spotify and iTunes, or listen at Crown.org.