Fleeting Vapor

For Monday, April 16, 2007
Proverbs 21:6

The getting of treasures by a lying tongue
is a fleeting vapor and a snare of death.

The liar thinks he is setting a snare or escaping it by lying. To gain treasure he thinks is escaping as a fleeting vapor, he lies in order to snatch it. But he is merely setting up his own snare and insuring that his treasure will escape. Ask the white collar executives in jail now because of their deception how much good their lying did them. Ask those who are bankrupt how much good cheating did for them.

The shocking surprise is that most of them will rue that they did not do a good enough job lying. Even now while lying in their snares they are mulling over how they should have covered their tracks better. That is the way of the fool. He does not learn from his consequences - especially the liar. Is there a more difficult pattern of behavior to break than that of lying? It is easy to do, and when it becomes so engrained as to be instinct, it is difficult to break.

All the more reason then to confess this sin now if it has you in its grasp. Husbands lying to wives, employees lying to supervisors, students lying to teachers... And all to gain treasure - affection, promotion, good grades. Break the habit now, for it will only grow more difficult and the snares will multiply.

How do you break the habit? By desiring true treasure - the grace of God - and by trusting in the one whose promise is not fleeting - God. How do you get to God? Through the one who has never lied and is truth personified - Jesus Christ.