Lies

"By mercy and truth iniquity is purged:"

 Proverbs 16:6a

"Falsehood is cowardice, the truth courage."  Hosea Ballou

I lied to one of my best friends.

Now, before you get all hoity-toity on me, I'm pretty sure you have lied too, but let me continue.

Sunday night, after Service, we were talking, and I chose to make an excuse rather than hurt her feelings with the truth.

The minute the words came out of my mouth, the Lord smote my heart.

I came home and had no peace.  I couldn't sleep.  

I wanted to make it right, but Satan whispered in my ear, "She will never know you lied, if you confess your sin to her, she will never trust you again, you will only end up hurting her, just forget about it."

But my Saviour did not whisper.

My Saviour's voice held nothing back.  He gave me no excuse.  My Saviour said, "You lied to her, and you lied to Me.  No matter what the outcome, tell her."

It was a long night.

"If I speak what is false, I must answer for it; if truth, it will answer for me."

Thomas Fuller

After a rough night, and an early morning, I texted my friend and asked her if she could come over for a few minutes to talk.  As we sat in my swing out on the patio, I held nothing back.  I told my friend that my excuse was a lie.  I told her that I sinned against her and asked for her forgiveness.

And she did.

Satan did not get a foothold-

He did not get the advantage-

Sin was called sin-

and it was confessed and forgiven.

This sweet friend is even more special to me now...

        Mercy and Truth will do that...

            But that's just me!

"There is no such thing as white lies; a lie is as black as a coal pit, and twice as foul."

Henry Ward Beecher