False Witness and Breathing Lies
Proverbs 6:16–19
16 There are six things that the Lord hates,
seven that are an abomination to him:
17 haughty eyes, a lying tongue,
and hands that shed innocent blood,
18 a heart that devises wicked plans,
feet that make haste to run to evil,
19 a false witness who breathes out lies…
As we come to the sixth thing that the Lord hates, we are met with a familiar concept. On day 2, we discussed a lying tongue, and now on day 6, we hear about a false witness who breathes out lies. If you are confused about the difference, just know that I was too. It took me a few minutes and some research to consider what makes these two “things” different.
A lying tongue is a general statement against falsehood. Lies are easy to state and can happen in the spur of the moment, often to cover what we do not want exposed.
A false witness who breathes out lies brings to mind the judicial setting of testifying falsely against someone. While a lying tongue describes falsehood generally, a false witness specifically uses falsehood against another person. The lie now damages someone else's reputation, standing, or well-being.
We can bear false witness when our words defame character, cause consequences, or lead others to form wrong opinions. I see this most clearly in how we speak of others through gossip, slander, and defamation. While we may not be guilty of bearing false witness in a courtroom, how many times have we soiled someone’s reputation on a couch?
Little comments, often unwarranted, can have detrimental effects. Sadly, these comments happen all too frequently among church people who bad-mouth, overshare, or break confidence about a brother or sister they are called to love. In fact, church people can be some of the meanest, harshest, and most vindictive people.
I am reminded of Ephesians 4:29 as I write today:
“Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.”
Is this how you speak?
Are those little notes you pass along corrupting or encouraging?
Are those stories you share edifying or inappropriate?
Are those comments you make about another helpful or harmful?
All of us need to watch our speech closely, as the tongue is hard to tame (James 3). We need to be mindful of the times we bless God and curse those made in His image with the same breath.
Before you pass along that story, repeat that rumor, or offer your opinion about someone else, stop and ask: Will these words give grace to those who hear, or will they damage someone who isn't even in the room to defend themselves?
The Lord does not only care whether our words are true. He cares about what our words do to others.
Feet racing to evil!
Proverbs 6:16–19
16 There are six things that the Lord hates,
seven that are an abomination to him:
17 haughty eyes, a lying tongue,
and hands that shed innocent blood,
18 a heart that devises wicked plans,
feet that make haste to run to evil,
Out of all of the sins we have looked at this week, this one convicted me the most. Today, we look at how our feet make haste to run to evil.
Why does this convict me? Because it shows how readily I race to do what I should not! The verse does not simply say our feet lead us to evil, but we do so with urgency. Notice the two descriptions—make haste and run. Some of you have not run in years or decades. Even the thought of running causes your knees to ache, but are you running to evil?
We are quick to blame the enemy for tempting us, but sometimes temptation does not have to chase us—we chase it.
I don’t need alluring fruit; I just want a moment of pleasure, of happiness, of peace. I don’t need something fragile to break to get me upset; my mood is fragile enough. I simply need a car that stays still for two seconds at a green light to upset me. I simply need an email I misread to create bitterness and jealousy. I need a glance at a magazine cover to lead me down a rabbit trail of lustful thoughts. I only need to see someone happy to begin to judge or envy.
I race toward evil more often than I want to admit. I am quick to anger and quick to judge. I am fast to be furious and slow to be patient.
Where do your feet naturally run when you are angry, lonely, bored, stressed, jealous, or tired? What sin requires almost no convincing because part of you already wants to go there?
Wisdom means recognizing the roads that lead us toward evil and refusing to take the first step. Don't see how close you can get. Don't linger at the entrance. Turn your feet in another direction.
You cannot run toward wisdom while continuing to sprint toward the things God has told you to flee.
Hearts devising wickedness
Proverbs 6:16–19
16 There are six things that the Lord hates,
seven that are an abomination to him:
17 haughty eyes, a lying tongue,
and hands that shed innocent blood,
18 a heart that devises wicked plans,
In the mid-90s, the cartoon “Pinky and the Brain” was released and forever seared its catchphrase into my mind.
Pinky would ask: “Gee, Brain, what do you want to do tonight?”
Brain: “The same thing we do every night, Pinky—try to take over the world!”
Being a cartoon, hijinks would ensue, and Brain’s evil plans would fail due to arrogance, lack of oversight, and the downright impossibility of the task. Does that sound familiar?
Too often, our hearts devise wicked plans centered on trying to take over the world, or at least our corner of it. If only I could control the schedule, the narrative, and those around me, then life would be all I want it to be! I would live in the land flowing with milk and honey, to use a biblical analogy.
Constantly, our hearts are developing ways to do evil. We are hatching new plans to increase our power. We are scheming new ways to supplant others. We are brainstorming how to avoid penalties, save face, and succeed at any expense necessary.
That might sound harsh, but is it not true? Is your heart not constantly leading you toward evil?
Does this sound familiar?
How can I make myself look better without technically bragging?
How can I punish this person without looking vindictive?
How can I control this situation without appearing controlling?
How can I tell the story so I look innocent?
How can I get what I want while still appearing generous?
How can I avoid admitting that I was wrong?
Our hearts seek to honor one almighty figure in our lives—ourselves! I am convinced that each and every person, whether a Christian or not, is seeking to develop their own heaven on earth—but sadly, that is a heaven without God.
Final thought: The word devising brings with it connotations of secrecy and quiet. These wicked plans are being conceived secretly and completed secretly. Like a duck seemingly calm on the surface while its legs churn furiously beneath the water, our outward lives can look peaceful while our hearts are scheming underneath. No one else may see the plan forming—but God does.
So today, pay attention to what is happening beneath the surface. What outcome are you quietly trying to manipulate? Whose opinion are you trying to control? What plan are you making that requires someone else to lose so that you can win?
Hands that shed innocent blood
Proverbs 6:16–17
16 There are six things that the Lord hates,
seven that are an abomination to him:
17 haughty eyes, a lying tongue,
and hands that shed innocent blood,
From eyes to tongue to hands, Solomon is continuing to show us how we live in ways that upset the Lord. Today, we focus on hands that shed innocent blood. The direct meaning is the violent taking of innocent life. But the principle should also make us ask a smaller, uncomfortable question: Are innocent people being wounded because of my sin?
Where am I harming the innocent?
I am harming the innocent when I snap at my child because of my own failure to regulate my emotions.
I am harming the innocent when I bully my spouse through stubbornness.
I am harming the innocent when I choose to joke coarsely rather than encourage.
I am harming the innocent when I tear down a co-worker in order to exalt myself.
I am harming the innocent when I force someone else to pay for my bad day.
How many people have we left bruised and bloody in the path of our sinfulness and selfishness?
How many times are we blinded by our hurt and ignorant of the damage we are doing to others?
The final fruit of the Spirit listed in Galatians 5 is self-control. This is an antidote for harming the innocent. For too many of us, our impulse control is inadequate, and our anger, frustration, and reactions are too often experienced by others. We must stop blaming our personality, our wiring, and our reactions as things we cannot control. As believers, we should grow in the fruit of self-control through the power of the Holy Spirit.
What innocent person in your path is being harmed due to your lack of self-control?
Who gets the brunt of the mud you sling?
What can you do to apologize for harming the innocent?
Today, don't merely ask God to give you better self-control. Repent of the harm you have caused. Apologize where you need to apologize. Then ask the Holy Spirit to grow in you the self-control that keeps your pain from becoming someone else's wound.
Lying Tongue
Proverbs 6:16–19
16 There are six things that the Lord hates,
seven that are an abomination to him:
17 haughty eyes, a lying tongue,
and hands that shed innocent blood,
18 a heart that devises wicked plans,
feet that make haste to run to evil,
19 a false witness who breathes out lies,
and one who sows discord among brothers.
As we will see in this list, God is personalizing the actions He hates by connecting them to the body part we use to commit them. Today, we move from haughty eyes to a lying tongue.
Lying is one of our first sins. As a child, we lie about making our bed, brushing our teeth, eating the cookie, or who hit whom first…. Lying comes naturally because we are naturally ashamed of our sin. Like Adam and Eve in the garden, we seek to cover our failure rather than confess it.
Do you still lie? Some of you may think that lying is a thing of your past, but I question whether that is true.
Sometimes our most convincing lies are the ones we tell ourselves. We call gossip “sharing news.” We call greed “wisdom.” We call sinful behavior “just my personality.”
We may not cheat on our taxes, but we lie to protect feelings, to downplay failures, or to keep approval. A lying tongue is still within us and must be combated.
Often, the root of lying stems from our desire to control an outcome. We don’t want to disappoint others, be embarrassed, or be proven wrong, so we fudge the truth just enough to avoid the consequences.
What truth are you tempted to bend today?
What are you trying to protect—your reputation, your comfort, your approval, your control?
The antidote to lying is confession. Confession is agreeing with God about what He already knows. The way out of a lie is not another lie. It is confession. Tell the truth to God, tell the truth to yourself, and, where necessary, tell the truth to the person you have deceived. Freedom begins when we stop hiding.