Little White Lies

[bethshemaiah]

I have this issue that always tends to creep up and it really bothers me. I am very aware that lying is a sin, please don't reply on this necessarily. My concerns are with the little halve truths that seem to slip out. They really bother me but are "out" before I know it. I would like to know if others are troubled with this also. It is convicting and I always pray to get control, but still do it. Here is an example:

This morning I drove my son to school and he arrived a few minutes late. So I called after I dropped him off to alert them that he was late and that my other son would not be at school because he was sick. The school secretay asked why he was late. Okay here it the "stretch or lie":

I told her that I overslept because my son was sick and this was not actually the reason. He is sick yes, bu the real reason is I woke up at 4PM having strange dreams and couldn't go back to sleep, so I checked my email replies off of Worthy and chatted with a friend in the UK for a bit and then when back to sleep. I didn't tell her this and she was asking for a reason. I just slipped out and I find this happens often. Halve truths. In the past many years ago I was a compulsive liar. I don't know how I kept up with them then.

Does anyone else struggle with this issue?

I would appreciate hearing about your experiences.

God Bless,

Bethany

[bethshemaiah]

I have this issue that always tends to creep up and it really bothers me. I am very aware that lying is a sin, please don't reply on this necessarily. My concerns are with the little halve truths that seem to slip out. They really bother me but are "out" before I know it. I would like to know if others are troubled with this also. It is convicting and I always pray to get control, but still do it. Here is an example:

This morning I drove my son to school and he arrived a few minutes late. So I called after I dropped him off to alert them that he was late and that my other son would not be at school because he was sick. The school secretay asked why he was late. Okay here it the "stretch or lie":

I told her that I overslept because my son was sick and this was not actually the reason. He is sick yes, bu the real reason is I woke up at 4PM having strange dreams and couldn't go back to sleep, so I checked my email replies off of Worthy and chatted with a friend in the UK for a bit and then when back to sleep. I didn't tell her this and she was asking for a reason. I just slipped out and I find this happens often. Halve truths. In the past many years ago I was a compulsive liar. I don't know how I kept up with them then.

Does anyone else struggle with this issue?

I would appreciate hearing about your experiences.

God Bless,

Bethany

Everyone has sins. Doesn't mean its excusable except through the blood of Jesus, but I'm just saying, anyone who says they don't do that is lying.

All you can do is try to tell the truth, and ask God to forgive you and help you to be bolder and just trust God.

If you had told the truth, what evil could have come of it? could the principle or teacher punish your child for your mistake? Even if they did, one tardy slip is not normally a big deal.

I know for me, most times that I find myself telling a "little white lie", when I look back at it, I can't even think of a real reason why I would do that. Its usually because you are afraid of getting yourself or someone else into trouble or an embarrassing situation, and for the most part, those situations aren't even nearly as bad as we imagin in our minds.

I remember I lied to my supervisor one time on a job, and said I had completed a check sheet. I did not do it at the right time. Why did I lie? I was afraid fo getting fired for forgetting to do part of my job. The worst that probably woudl have happened if I told the truth is she would have said, "Oh, you've got to remember to do that on time next time." and that probably would have been the end of the conversation.

ACTUALLY I NEED TO MAKE A CORRECTION I WOKE UP AT 4 AM. this was not actually a lie but a typo, LOL. Anyway that is right, what harm would have come of it to tell the truth or why didn't I just say I overslept and leave it at that, this over-embellishment stuff is another problem. Can't the boring and mundane truth be enough? Of course, I am a sinner we all are. This one bugs me though it seems that it would be "so easy" to remedy. Thanks for the reply.

In Him,

Bethany

[darski]

This has been an issue for me as well. One thing that drove me crazy was the "How do I look in this dress?" question.

I finally learned to tell the truth I could tell. how did I get there... by giving it prayerful thought and making it a priority in my life.

You have come a long way already by coming here to discuss it and to help to get your thoughts on the right path. Do give it prayerful thought and consideration. Ask God for the wisdom to understand and to get you past whatever needs keep you bound to untruth.

One of the challenges in today's world is that people really do like the comfortable lie...

"How are you?"

"I'm just fine. Well, my dog just died, my son just ran away, my church is in the middle of the nastiest fight of the century. I'm fine. Thank you for asking."

I did find myself wondering if that woman's job was not made easier by your half truth. She doesn't have to deal with any issues of truancy or whatever. This is the seduction of lying in society. People like that better than reality and its attendant problems.

[tah]

That is a universal problem we share as humans..

and of course the devil is the father of lies...

Praise God it bothers you as was already shared..

The conscience is not a real reliable source but if we are in good standing with God it can be..

I have had a terrible time learning not to "stretch the truth" too..

and I do not have as much trouble with it as I used to..

Nope..not "stretching the truth"..when I was younger it was harder to not embellish ...

I think the pain we suffer in our hearts when we lie makes us stronger in our resolve to just be honest...Praise God for that pain...

And I am sure "I overslept" was sufficient explanation...

whether it was acceptable to them or not..

It is better to suffer some kind of consequences from the truth than a lie any day....

[Northern lass]

I'd like to know then, what people DO answer when asked "How are you?" or "Are you OK?" when it's obvious the person asking doesn't really want to know and would be horrified if you went into a detailed answer. All they want to hear is "Fine thanks"! Is that really lying (if you're not OK?) or is it just a formality like "Good morning"?

[tah]

This has been an issue for me as well. One thing that drove me crazy was the "How do I look in this dress?" question.

The doomsday question.

"Do these pants make me look fat?"

Sometimes we are in toruble no matter what!!!!!

Reminds me a comercial where a guy fills his mouth with something to keep from answereing a question and folks were left to come to their own conclusions..

But it is still better to suffer from telling the truth than a lie...

[tah]

When we say "Fine" and all the gates of hell are coming against us the answer is still "fine"..

God is so in control of my life....how much finer can you get...

That is the truth...

Sometime it is not the right time to go into details about the answer..

believe me....

[Northern lass]

When we say "Fine" and all the gates of hell are coming against us the answer is still "fine"..

God is so in control of my life....how much finer can you get...

That is the truth...

Sometime it is not the right time to go into details about the answer..

believe me....

Good answer! Thanks. I always DO answer fine but just wondered about what everyone else was saying! It is well with my soul, whatever else may be happening!!

[tah]

truster..I feel diferently...

I have found that in the darkest of lifes situations God is my rock and my light and my fortress..

No matter how far down I have gone ...

He is my God....that makes eveything I face "fine"..

I know that all things are working towards good...thats "fine"

I do not believe it is a lie to ever tell someone I am "fine" when they do not want or need the "details" of my situations ..

because the "fine" is not in the little details ..it is my life in Him....

and that is "fine.."...and that is the truth...

[billie]

Sometimes I'm not fine, but I don't go into detail with everyone who asks me. I know who really wants to know and who's just being perfunctory. With the former, I spill. With the latter, I just say something like, "Well, you know....." or "Still waitin on Jesus....." or something like that.