BBD 09.20.06 Tall Tales
Posted by: wrather <wrather@...>
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09.20.06
Tall Tales
You shall not steal, nor deal falsely, nor lie to one another. - Leviticus
19:11.
These six things the LORD hates, Yes, seven are an abomination to Him: a
proud look, a lying tongue.. - Proverbs 6:16-17a.
Therefore, putting away lying, "Let each one of you speak truth with his
neighbor," for we are members of one another. - Ephesians 4:25.
Unknown to a Subway restaurant in North Platte, Nebraska they had a CIA
operative working for them undercover. At least that is what Joshua Shores
their 34-year-old employee told them after he was seen on a surveillance
video putting $502.00 into his pocket. He should have been putting the money
into the store's safe. He advised the police and a judge that there was no
cause for worry because of his CIA status the agency would reimburse the
money. He also said the reason he was working for Subway was that he had
lost his CIA badge and was waiting for a new one to be sent from the agency.
At least Joshua had a somewhat original tale to tell even though it was
rather tall. I have not heard what kind of trouble Joshua is in - probably
the charge was "theft by employee" which would likely be a felony.
Hopefully, Joshua will learn that telling tall tales will not get you out of
legal trouble. He would have been much better served by having simply told
the truth that he had stolen the money and by giving back what he had left
of it with a sincere "I'm sorry" along with a promise of repaying the rest.
We tend in this modern world with all of the violence, sexual immorality and
the rest to look at lying as a minor offense. However, it is in God's top
seven of things that He hates which would appear to indicate that it is not
a minor issue. Lying after all is still sin and God hates sin. God hates sin
because He is holy and sin is evil. God is righteous and sin is a
demonstration of unrighteousness.
It is sad but I know some people who are liars. They are liars because they
continually lie. If they had a choice between telling the truth and telling
a lie even when it made no difference they would still tell a lie. They have
told lies for so long that they no longer remember what the truth is about
the past. It is hard for me to be around them because I am always wondering
whether what they are saying is true or whether it is just another lie. I
would like to believe them but because of their continual lying, I have
reached a point where I find it hard to believe anything they say.
The will of God is clear about this issue of lying. In Romans 12:19 we are
told, "Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good." We must hate what God
hates and love what God loves. We too must hate lying and love the truth.
Jesus is the manifestation of truth. He is "the way, the TRUTH, and the life
(John 14:6).."
The desire of our hearts in regard to lying and deceiving should be the same
as that of the apostle Paul. Paul says in Acts 24:16, ".I myself always
strive to have a conscience without offense toward God and men." Or as
another translation puts it, "So I strive always to keep my conscience clear
before God and man." It might sound more exciting to say that you are an
undercover CIA operative who has lost his badge but do you really think
anyone is going to believe you? We too should always strive to keep a clear
conscience before God and man by being truthful in all of interactions with
others.
Copyright © 2006. Ed Wrather. Permission is given for use of the devotionals
on a non-profit basis with source credited. The Burning Bush website has
been online since January 31, 1998. On June 8, 1998 the email version of the
Burning Bush Devotional was first sent.
PRAYER REQUEST: I have an unspoken prayer request and covet your prayers.
Thank you! Ed Wrather. Update on being "Ripped Off" (Yesterday's
devotional): In additional to the unauthorized charge for $3463.67 at the
Home Depot on North Penn in Oklahoma City there have been two additional
charges. One charge for $1500.00 through T-Mobile in Bellevue, Washington
and a charge for $38.55 at the China House restaurant at 12400 N May Ave in
Oklahoma City. Please pray for the individual or the individuals that are
using my credit card information that God would intervene in their lives and
that they might come to know Him and serve Him.
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