The Revealing Liar

For Tuesday, November 6, 2007
Proverbs 26:28

A lying tongue hates its victims,
and a flattering mouth works ruin.

The lying tongue and the flattering mouth - weapons of deception - are the true revealers of the heart. The liar may consciously despise his victim or regards the victim indifferently; so the flatterer. He has one aim - his advancement. He may want money or power or pleasure. Whatever the case, he will lie and flatter for that one goal. He is single-minded.

And he is a hater whose real love is to ruin others. Deny as he might, his very lying reveals his heart as a hater. He hates his neighbor. Most of all, he hates God. Like his father Satan, his character is expressed through his deception.

Such a person cannot be happy with mere advancement of his own situation. He must see that others experience disappointment. He delights not only in their being deceived, but by their misery over the deception. Ruin - the ruin of others - is what satisfies their inner craving.

How comforting it is to know the intent and the power of our Father who is Truth, who intends on building us up even to glory, and who will not fail. The world is filled with lying tongues, but it is also under the sovereign control of our God who cannot be deceived, who is advancing his kingdom, who is turning liars into truth-bearers, even us. There is one who seeks our ruin; but there is a greater One within us who seeks our victory and will attain it.