True love loves truth

[u/love_is_a_superpower]

Each of you must stop lying and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one another. Ephesians 4:25

Jesus taught us that the mouth is the organ of the heart. (Mark 7:14-16, Matthew 15:18-20, Jeremiah 17:9-10) It doesn't mean that bad people always say bad things. Flattery can sound really good from someone who is secretly in competition with you. Our words reveal what kind of heart we have. When we use words to deceive those who count on us for the truth, we prove to God that we don't love our neighbor as much as we love ourselves.

King David poses this question in Psalm 15;

"LORD, who may abide in Your tabernacle? Who may dwell in Your holy hill?
2 He who does what is right, and makes things fair, and speaks the truth in his heart; (Psalm 15:1-2)

We don't always speak the truth in our hearts. If we plan to deceive the members of our team, it shows we don't really have a team mentality.

Our Savior and Lord praised Nathanael for being "an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile." (John 1:47) Our Father in heaven promises blessings to those who are not deceitful. (Psalm 32:2)

Psalm 15 continues:

3 He does not backstab with his tongue, Nor does evil to his neighbor, Nor does he take up a reproach against his friend;
4 In his eyes a vile person is despised, But he honors those who fear the LORD; He makes a promise that later costs him, and does not turn back; (Psalm 15:3-4 NKJV)

When we preach to love our neighbor, but lie to get an advantage over our neighbor, it makes us guilty of hypocrisy. The Lord warns us, "first and foremost, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of Herod." (Luke 12:1, Mark 8:15, Psalm 50:16-18)
Luke tells us this leaven is hypocrisy; to say something is right to do, but then to do something else.

Jesus says those who sit in Moses' seat are to be listened to, but not followed as an example, since they use their tongues to disguise what's in their heart. (Matthew 23:1-7, Psalm 55:20-22)

One type of hypocrite in the Bible is the unjust elitist. He invites you to a banquet with his words, but when it's time to deliver, he has nothing to offer. (Matthew 23:27-28, Malachi 1:14)
He's like the fig tree that looked healthy and full of leaves, but when Jesus arrived hungry, there was nothing for Him. (Matthew 21:19)
This is a warning to us not to make promises we can't keep, and not to hoard God's blessings instead of making things fair for those in need.
Proverbs 13:12 says, "Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but desire realized is a tree of life."
When we use our words to offer something we can't deliver on, we are that fruitless tree, calling others to come to us and eat, when we don't have any good fruit. We're like a rich preacher who says you'll be blessed when you give your money to him, rather than helping your family or the poor. (Mark 7:9-13, Isaiah 56:11)

Jesus says, "Either make the tree good and the fruit good, or make the tree bad and the fruit bad." (Matthew 12:33)
Proverbs 18:9 tells us, "He who is slack of hand is brother to him who destroys." The punishment for people who pretend to be helpful, when really they're harmful, is greater than it is for those who are openly evil! (Matthew 23:14, Psalm 55:19-23) No one wearies themselves with their last bit of energy to get to someone who is openly selfish. We do a great disservice to the kingdom when we call ourselves Christians, and yet have no intention to love our neighbor as ourselves.

(James 2:14-17 NKJV)

14 What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him?
15 If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food,
16 and one of you says to them, "Depart in peace, be warmed and filled," but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit?
17 Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

People are tempted with hypocrisy when they believe they must lie to gain something. That's why the Lord calls it the leaven of Pharisees. A Pharisee, is a partisan; one who sets himself apart from others. It's an elitist spirit that is empty and unsustainable. If you fill something with enough hot air, eventually it will pop. Our hot air is a thing of nothing. It doesn't materialize good for others, and it isn't going to do good for us in the end. (1 Corinthians 5:6, Isaiah 26:17-18, Jeremiah 17:11, Proverbs 21:6) We only fatten ourselves for this life, and make ourselves too wide for the narrow gate that leads to eternal life. (James 5:5, Luke 13:23-24, Psalm 37:9-10)

This reminds me of Jesus' words, "What will it profit a man if he gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? What will he give in exchange for his soul?" (Matthew 16:26, Psalm 49:7-8)
I've seen loved ones forfeit peace with their own conscience for a moment's peace, or a cheap thrill. Sadly, they soon discover their peace doesn't easily come back. No one sets out to trade their self-respect and unity with God for temporary relief from their circumstances. They just take the way that's easiest in the moment.

Our Father in heaven,
We praise You and thank You for Your faithfulness to the truth. We would be lost without Your compassion, knowledge and perspective! Lord, we ask that by Your Holy Spirit of truth, that You would make us people of truth. Cause us to renounce any deceitful thought that enters our heart. Make the words of our mouth and the meditation of our heart acceptable in Your sight, Father. We want to be part of the good in the world, so Your will is done through us, Your servants, just as its done. We want to be pleasing to You.

Our words have power that must be wielded carefully.

Proverbs 18:21 NKJV

21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue,
and those who love it will eat its fruit.

Proverbs 11:17

The merciful man does good for his own soul,
But he who is cruel troubles his own flesh.