An Endemic Vice

Scripture References: 1 Kings 22:11-12; Acts 5:3

A poll on “Lying in America,” released in February 1987, indicated that Americans consider honesty as rare as a temporary tax. Seventy-one percent of the 1,006 adults questioned expressed dissatisfaction with our dishonesty. Yet, how many of those asserting unhappiness over our dishonesty are themselves dishonest in some way? A 1984 IRS survey found 50 percent of Americans have a flexible standard of morality.

A New York firm that annually investigates thousands of resumes finds outright lies in 20 percent of them. Hotel managers learned long ago to decorate rooms with inexpensive items, hoping that guests will swipe them and leave more expensive items. The American Insurance Association says that 20 percent of insurance claims contain an element of fraud.

There are some who lie for the sake of lying, Pascal wrote. Yes, a great many someones. But we destroy ourselves, others, and society by lying. Little wonder that most people think honesty is rare—it is. Little wonder they think everyone cheats; what we feel about ourselves is often our evaluation of others. If the surveys are true, we all need to repeat of this horrible sin before it destroys us. God will have no liars in heaven (Revelation 21:8).

Courtesy of Speaker’s Sourcebook of New Illustrations by Virgil Hurley © 1995 by Word, Incorporated.
Unless otherwise noted, Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV © 2011 by Biblica, Inc.®
Used by permission. All rights reserved.