Many of us, especially as we are growing up, love make-believe stories – “fairy tales,” they are often called. This is all well and good as we regale our children with stories of talking animals, or flying cars, but there is a sadness that comes when we realize that, for many people, the thought of telling the truth and being honest is like a fairy tale. We can hear the story of George Washington and the cherry tree – “I cannot tell a lie” – or recite the phrase “honesty is the best policy,” but do we really believe that we must be honest? Do we really believe that honesty and truth telling is the best thing for us? We have to remember is that God expects all His children, no matter whether they are 5 or 85, to speak the truth. It is not an option; it is the way in which we can express the character of the Triune God who is the Truth (John 14:6; Isaiah 65:16; John 14:17).

I. A World of Lies
A. The Big Lie
B. Lies We See
C. Lies We Make

II. The Need for Truth
A. For Ourselves
B. For Others

III. Not Just Talk
A. Denying Self
B. Trusting God
C. Glorifying God

Questions for consideration: (1) Why is it so easy to excuse lying? What excuses have you used? (2) Why is lying a sin that is particularly hated by God? What is lying’s effect on God? On others? (3) How can cultivating honesty and the truth help our testimony for Christ?