It is practically impossible these days to be certain who, if anyone, is telling the truth. Almost everyone tries to balance the risk of being caught against the perceived benefits of lying.
Some businesses show great creativity in camouflaging deceit when they advertise their products. Everywhere around us we see individuals, businesses and other organisations involved in a sophisticated game of seeing how deceptive they can be.
Lying is an accepted way of life. Our world is accurately described in Isaiah's description of ancient Israel: "No one calls for justice, nor does any plead for truth. They trust in empty words and speak lies; they conceive evil and bring forth iniquity" (Isaiah 59:4). As it was then, people today routinely pour deceit into all of their relationships from economic through to religious. The death of honesty has become so widely accepted that lying is no longer discouraged.
The temptation to lie is ever present. It is such a quick and effortless way to gain advantage over others. It appears to offer an easy escape from embarrassment, fear and guilt. But the Bible says, "Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, but those who deal truthfully are His delight" (Proverbs 12:22)
We face a fundamental choice. We either follow God's example of truthfulness and honesty, or we follow the example of the devil, who lies. Jesus tells us that the devil is "a liar and the father of lies" (John 8:44). The devil has relentlessly misinformed and misled people ever since he deceived Eve. His malicious influence is so great that he "deceives the whole world" (Revelation 12:9). It is all too easy for us to follow his example in our dealings with others, especially when lying is so commonly practised around us.
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