King Solomon wrote: ‘Everything I say is right, for I speak the truth and detest every kind of deception. My advice is wholesome. There is nothing devious or crooked in it. My words are plain to anyone with understanding’ (v.6-9 NLT). We usually embellish the truth because we want these two things from our audience: their attention and their approval. But eventually, it backfires. Over time, people discover our willingness to stretch the truth, and we end up losing credibility. And once we lose that, it takes a long time to get it back – if we ever do. Using a lot of sweeping, generalising statements like ‘Everybody does it,’ or ‘They never…’ or ‘They always…’ can cause people to doubt our sincerity and trustworthiness. There’s nothing wrong with saying something with enthusiasm, but we mustn’t let it slip into exaggeration. We should stick to the facts and resist the temptation to bend the truth in order to be the centre of attention. Joseph’s brothers resented the favour of God that was on his life, so they threw him into a pit, dipped his coat in blood, then took it back home and showed it to their ageing father. They didn’t say a word. They simply let the old man conclude that his son had been devoured by a wild beast. And what’s more, they allowed him to live with that cruel lie for years. In Revelation 22:15, people ‘who love lies and tell lies’ are lumped together with ‘the evil people, those who do evil magic, who sin sexually, who murder, [and] who worship idols’ (NCV). That’s a good incentive for always being truthful! Today make your prayer the words of Psalm 120:2: ‘Rescue me, O Lord, from liars and from all deceitful people’ (NLT).

What Now?

As you go through the day, try to be aware of times when you’re tempted to exaggerate or generalise (pay particular attention to phrases that start with ‘everybody’, ‘nobody’, ‘we always’, ‘people never’, and so on). Try to modify what you’re saying to avoid exaggeration.