False witnessing is still lying. Telling tales that you’re not sure of. Our text says LIKE a club and a sword and a sharp arrow - all weapons. This is how bad false witnessing cuts, as bad as weapons. Let’s look at a few "types" of lying.
Slandering: Some sins are worse than others in terms of damage done. If I steal from you I can return the item. But if I spread lies about you I may not be able to ever undo the far reaching effects. A man spread lies about his pastor, was convicted, repented, and asked him how he could make it right. The pastor told him to get some feather pillows and rip them open, and place one feather on every porch in their community. It seemed strange, but he did what he was told. He went back to the preacher and said he was done. He said, no, you’re not. Go back and pick them all up now. “But I can’t. The wind has taken them who knows where!” The pastor said, “So it is with the words you have spoken about me.” When we slander someone’s reputation we do irreparable damage. And we’ll answer to God for it!
Tale bearing: This person loves to tell things. They share ‘news’. But they don’t care if their facts are correct or not. This is gossip, rumors. Don’t spread it. Try to stop others from doing it. Don’t repeat gossip. "Thou shalt not go up and down as a talebearer among thy people." Next time you’re enjoying listening to someone gossip, remember this fact: Anyone who will gossip TO you, will gossip ABOUT you! Don’t allow your ears to become someone’s personal trash cans. They usually come and say things like “people are saying…” who are people I ask? Put a face to it. It’s just a cowardly way of saying what the person wants to say, putting it off on someone else. Why is it that it’s always the same handful of people who always hear these things? It’s because they send off a signal that says, “I’m willing to listen to any garbage you want to drop off.”
Lying by insinuation: Nothing was really said but suggested, for example saying something like; “Today was a good Sunday, Mike was sober today!” You have suggested something to whoever you’re talking to.
Flattery: This is insincere praise, saying something to someone’s face that you would never say behind their back. Salesmen are often bad about this. “The words of his mouth were smoother than butter, but war was in his heart: his words were softer than oil, yet were they drawn swords.”
Half truths: Not telling the whole story. A parent asks their teen where they are going. “To Andy’s house.” That’s true, but they leave out where they’re going from there. This is why in court you swear to not just tell the truth, but ‘the whole truth.’ Half the truth equals a whole lie.
Exaggeration: Blowing the truth out of proportion. One pastor was brought before the deacons for exaggerating so much. They confronted him. He said they were right. “I’ve cried a barrel of tears over it. We might not have known it. But these are all lies and when told can damage someone’s life for years. If you’re not sure of a tale, then don’t tell it. If you have to tell one, tell it as it happened or as much as you know. Don’t try to add or subtract from the story. Don’t forget “Like a club and a sword and a sharp arrow Is a man who bears false witness against his neighbor.”
Remember our 21 Days of Strictly Truth-telling. Are You Game? How has it been so far?
Photo credit: The 8 Rule of Truth Bullies. By Kid Mercury
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