Being a truthful person shows others that we are honest and forthcoming in what we say and do. Too often people find themselves in an entanglement of deceit. One small lie leads to another and before you know if, you are covering up lies with lies. When you are not truthful, it is hard to remember all of your lies and keep them straight. After being entangled in our lies, the only way out is through telling the truth. Honesty has its costs as well, but these costs are generated, by dishonest people. Being truthful and honest will always win God's favor.
Revelation 3:15-16 NASB “I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish that you were cold or hot. So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth.”
One of the things that we stumble with is being hot or cold. When you are lukewarm, you have your foot halfway in the truth and halfway in deceit. You may be partially truthful, but being part truth means that the other part of the story isn't honest. Why is it so important to tell the truth? One small white lie cannot hurt anyone right?
When we seek out the truth, it will be honored by God. When we lie and cheat and become dishonest, it will destroy us. Too much time and energy will be wasted trying to defend a lie.
Proverbs 11:13 NASB “The integrity of the upright will guide them, But the crookedness of the treacherous will destroy them.”
Being truthful may get a negative response from others.
Telling the truth always reminds me of the movie A Few Good Men starring Jack Nicholson and Tom Cruise. The scene where Jack Nicholson yells “you can't handle the truth” always sticks in my mind because some people cannot handle the truth. They like to be deceived and have their ears tickled by others. When someone calls out their dishonesty, they become defensive and start attacking the other person. Instead of running their words through a Biblical filter, they start to use Bible verses as weapons.
Bible verses are not meant to be used as spears. When we use them as weapons, we shred their meaning and stomp on the truth of the Bible. If you have to resort to using Bible verses as weapons, you should examine where you are at in your argument. Instead of making an argument and finding Bible verses to try to back up our case, we should first seek the word and then let it roll off of our tongue.
Proverbs 19:9 NASB “A false witness will not go unpunished, And he who tells lies will perish.”