Truth Stands, Lies Crumble

Scripture Reading:

“Truthful lips endure forever, but a lying tongue lasts only a moment.” Proverbs 12:19

“The Lord detests lying lips, but He delights in people who are trustworthy.” Proverbs 12:22

Reflection

Lies may sometimes look powerful. They can spread quickly, capture attention, and even seem to survive for years. But God’s Word reminds us: in the end, lies collapse. They cannot last because they are built on sand. Truth, however, endures. It stands forever.

We see this clearly in the life of Joseph (Genesis 39). Potiphar’s wife lied about him, and her deceit cost Joseph years in prison. Yet that lie did not define his destiny. God raised him, and truth brought him into a place of honour, second only to Pharaoh.

Or consider Haman in the book of Esther. His deceit seemed to succeed for a while. He manipulated the king into passing laws against God’s people. But his lies only lasted a moment. In the end, Haman fell into the very trap he had set, and truth stood firm.

God’s Heart Toward Lies and Truth

Verse 22 tells us: “The Lord detests lying lips, but He delights in people who are trustworthy.”

That word detests is strong. God hates lies because they destroy trust, the very foundation of love, families, communities, and even faith itself. Proverbs 6 lists a lying tongue and a false witness among the seven things God hates.

But here is the contrast: the Lord delights in those who are trustworthy. Imagine that the God of heaven takes pleasure in truth. He smiles on our integrity, even when honesty costs us something.

Consequences of Deceit

The Bible doesn’t shy away from showing us the seriousness of deceit.

In Acts 5, Ananias and Sapphira lied about their offering. They wanted to appear generous, but their deceit cost them their lives. It is a sobering reminder that lying lips cannot stand before a holy God.

Jesus Himself said in John 8:44 that the devil is “a liar and the father of lies.” Every lie carries the fingerprints of the enemy lies, steals, and destroys. But truth reflects God, because He is truth.

Integrity That Endures

By contrast, integrity lasts. Daniel is a striking example. His enemies plotted against him and lied to the king, but Daniel’s blameless character shone brighter than their lies. Even in the lions’ den, God vindicated him. His integrity outlasted the schemes of his enemies.

Integrity may cost us in the short term, but its reward is eternal. Proverbs 22:1 reminds us: “A good name is more desirable than great riches.” A trustworthy life is a true treasure in God’s sight.

Grace When We Stumble

Here’s good news for all of us: every one of us has stumbled with our lips at some point. Maybe we’ve lied to protect ourselves, to cover up, or out of fear. But through Jesus, there is forgiveness.

1 John 1:9 says: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”

God not only forgives He also gives us strength by His Spirit to live differently, to become people of truth who delight His heart. That is good news!

Prayer

Abba Father, thank You that truth stands forever while lies are only for a moment. Heal the wounds caused by deceit, and make us people who speak life and walk in integrity. When we stumble, remind us to run quickly to Jesus, who forgives and restores, and gives us strength to walk in truth again. In His mighty name we pray, Amen.

As shared by Caroline for Wisdom September

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