“Put away from you crooked speech,
and put devious talk far from you.”
– Proverbs 4:24
It’s often tempting to stretch the truth to make yourself look better. It’s often tempting to tell a small lie to smooth over a conflict or awkward situation. It’s often tempting to tell a big lie to get yourself out of trouble. DON’T!!!
If you’re part of the family of God, then know that your Father in Heaven is a God of absolute, 100% truth. You’re called to be the same. You’re an ambassador of Christ, representing Him in this world. People evaluate Christ based on you, your conduct, and your words. You can’t lie. You can’t make stuff up. You can’t fabricate things or distort things to make you look better because you make Jesus look worse. No matter how uncomfortable it may make you, always choose to speak with complete integrity.
Moreover, be selective about the news you choose to pass on to others. All news reporting has some degree of distortion, bias, and spin because humans are involved and humans have agendas. Understand what that distortion is before you ever dream of hitting the “Share” button or passing on a nugget of news that happens to be false or twisted. The more a story agrees with what you already believe, the more careful you must be to evaluate its truth. As a follower of Jesus, become well-known for your honest speech at all times.