Idolatry has two definitions. A lot of people think being an idol worshiper is somebody who worships gods of silver, gold, wood, and stone. But it's so much more than that. An idol is anything and anybody a person places ahead of God.
Society is full of idolatry. People worship celebrities, athletes, money, their jobs, their spouses, their children, their need for fame, acceptance, revenge, technology, TV shows, movies, music, etc. How do you know if you have an idol problem? If your thoughts, speech, energy, time, and money are directed at something or someone other than God. We're all guilty of that...including me. Let me tell you that there isn't anything or anybody worthy to take the place of God in your lives and your hearts. Nobody is worth losing your soul over.
Liars are self-explanatory. A liar is somebody who tells lies or lives a lie. There are no white lies or black lies. There are no grey areas. A lie is a lie is a lie. And for every lie you tell, you must tell two others to keep the original lie hidden. Is it worth it? NO. So, why do people do it? Here are some reasons why people lie.
1. They want to make themselves look better so they will be accepted.
2. They know the truth will get them into trouble, so they lie to avoid it.
3. They want to make somebody else look bad so nobody will notice their flaws and say something.
4. The truth is nowhere close to being as exciting as the lie.
So many people today are living a lie. They put up a front that they have the perfect life. Perfect home, perfect marriage, perfect kids, perfect job, perfect friends, etc. But what really happens behind closed doors is far darker than anybody thinks. Occasionally, somebody will come along who can see through their deception and say something. But because they had convinced themselves that their fake life is reality, they'll get angry at the truth teller. They know the truth teller is 100% right, but they don't want to accept it. There's nothing worse than knowing things aren't right, but pretending they are.
There's nothing worse than knowing you have the wrong person/people in your life but pretending they're the greatest thing since sliced bread. There's nothing worse than creating a fake facade about your life instead of being honest about it and making changes you can have the life you want. Even worse yet, having people around you who know you're living a lie, but choose to ignore it is beyond tragic.
These are NOT true friends, and they will NOT be there for you when your life falls apart. Harsh, but sadly the truth.
Another element of lying is gossip and slander. I can't begin to tell you how many lives have been ruined due to gossip and slander. Just like they fall under the category of murder, they also fall under the category of liars. Let's face it. A lot of things we hear about people is either false or a partial truth.
For the record, partial truth IS a lie. You can't throw in a little truth into a lie. A lie is a lie. If there is something in you that loves to talk behind people's backs or talk about things that's none of your business, you have a very serious problem. If you get a kick out of lying about somebody and then sitting back and watching their life fall apart, you have an even bigger problem. It is not anybody's place to talk about things that don't concern them. It is not anybody's right to malign another person for any reason. You might be thinking, "Hey, this person started it. They ruined my life. They ruined my reputation first. They destroyed my friendships/relationship. They spread lies about me that caused me to lose my job. They did the same thing to somebody I care about. They deserve to have somebody do to them what they did to me." Okay. If somebody did that to you, that was wrong. Trust me when I say that it will come back to them 100-fold. What they put out against you, they WILL reap in either their lives or the lives of their children. But you keep your hands and mouth off it. Don't treat them with the same hatred they showed you.
I say that because if you turn around and do to them what they deserve, it doesn't make you any better than them. If anything, it makes you look worse. Plus, the unforgiveness in you will block your blessings and keep the anger, hurt, and hatred going. In addition, if you're doing this out of response to somebody else being offended, you are stepping into a territory you have no business entering. If people are grown, they can defend themselves. If the situation doesn't involve you, you are being a busybody and trying to play God.
The end results of lying for you are this: loss of trust, a bad reputation, loss of relationships, potential loss of job/ministry, an inability to tell the truth due to lying for so long. You can even put your very life in danger by lying. You better think long and hard before you spread that rumor. Think long and hard before you reveal something that's none of your business. Think long and hard before you cover up for your so-called friend. Will they be there when it's your turn to be covered? Will they comfort you when your lies land you in the lake of fire? Is that lie you think is so tiny worth having to live with Satan forever?
The end results of those who are victims of lies, slander, and gossip are this: loss of relationships, loss of reputation, loss of ability to trust others, unforgiveness, bondage, depression, anger. In some cases, loss of identity. People feel like they need to change themselves to shake free of the false labels gossipers and liars put on them. Even worse, they can be driven to take their own lives due to the humiliation or great loss suffered by the lies started by another person. Still think it's okay to spread a partial truth about somebody?
A ruined life can eventually be rebuilt. The victim can always start over; have a fresh start that will lead to a happy ending. But once the gossiper/liar lands in the lake of fire, there's no second chance. There's no fresh start. They can't rebuild anything. The only thing they can do is think about the sins that landed them there. They'll remember every lie they've told, every person whose feelings were hurt by their lies, every person who lost their job, marriage, friendships, reputations, even lives due to them spreading rumors. Worth it? Not by a long shot.
