Truth.

"Truth is always strong, no matter how weak it looks, and falsehood is always weak, no matter how strong it looks."

-Phillip Brooks

"Truth has to change hands only a few times to become fiction."

-Dawson County (GA) Advertiser

"A truth that's told with bad intent

Beats all the lies you can invent."

-William Blake

"A man who is proud that he always tells the truth should first make sure that he tells the necessary truths for honorable motives, and not unnecessary truths for hurtful motives."

-Anonymous

"A false witness will not go unpunished, nor will a liar escape."

-Proverbs 19:5

"A false witness will not go unpunished, and a liar will be destroyed."

-Proverbs 19:9

"There was also a man named Ananias who, with his wife, Sapphira, sold some property. He brought part of the money to the apostles, but he claimed it was the full amount. His wife had agreed to this deception.

"Then Peter said, 'Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart? You lied to the Holy Spirit, and you kept some of the money for yourself. The property was yours to sell or not sell, as you wished. And after selling it, the money was yours to give away. How could you do a thing like this? You weren't lying to us but to God.'

"As soon as Ananias heard these words, he fell on the floor and died. Everyone who heard about it was terrified" (Acts 5:1-5).

You know the rest of the story. Three hours later Mrs. Ananias came to the apostles, used the same lie, and was told, "Just outside that door are the young men who buried your husband, and they will carry you out, too" (v. 9). Poor Sapphira . . . she hit the floor and died too! Neither one escaped and both were destroyed.

Not all who lie will drop dead like Ananias and Sapphira but lies will come back and may make liars wish they were dead. Even confessed lies have a way of haunting us for years. Some even come back to plague and slowly suck the life out of liars. We do know from these scriptures that liars will be punished, will not escape, and will be destroyed. Lying puts a person in great danger!

Ananias and Sapphira were okay with the sale of their property. Peter even told Ananias, "The property was yours to sell . . ." It wasn't the sale of the property that got him into trouble (and the grave), it was the lie!

Ananias and Sapphira told not only a lie but committed a premeditated crime. "He (Ananias) brought part of the money to the apostles, but he claimed it was the full amount. His wife had agreed to this deception." This couple thought about the lie before it was even audible. It was a lie that came from the heart, to the mind, to the tongue, to the grave. Many lies are for our own personal defense (still wrong) but this lie was premeditated, deceptive, and deadly.

You've got to wonder why Ananias and Sapphira lied in the first place. We know that Peter said, "Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart?" What was the devilish motivation? Was it pride? Did Ananias and Sapphira want to get their names on the church giving honor roll? Did someone else give more? We know others had given: ". . . people who owned land or houses sold them and brought the money to the apostles to give to others in need" (Acts 4:34-35).

We also know a man named Joseph, " . . . sold a field he owned and brought the money to the apostles for those in need" (Acts 4:37).

We can only theorize as to why they lied. Pride is a strong contender for the motive but it's just a guess on my part. Whatever the motivation, a lie was spoken, and the outcome was disaster.

Ananias and Sapphira didn't lie to the apostles or anyone else who may have been present that day, they lied to God. Peter said, "How could you do a thing like this? You weren't lying to us but to God." How it must hurt the heart of God when we lie. God is truth and when we lie we personally attack his character, integrity, and holiness.

I do not know one person who has never lied! Not one person. Not even our wonderful grandchildren!

Last week I went outside to the garage and, low and behold, in our driveway I found two dogs, four of our grandkids . . . and one pile of glass that was, at one time, a jar.

"Who did this?" I asked.

"I didn't do it. It was Trey," responded Maddie.

"I didn't do it," said Ryan.

"I didn't do it," answered Drew.

Trey said, "Not me!"

Being older and wiser and a lot more spiritual, I rephrased the question, "I don't think you understood what I asked. I didn't ask who didn't break the jar, I asked who did break it. Somebody broke it and I would like to know who."

"I don't know."

"Me either."

"Ummm . . . it was Trey," said Maddie.

"?"

Being older and wiser and a lot more spiritual and a little more frustrated, I said, "So nobody knows who broke the jar, is that right?"

No response, only four kids checking out the asphalt at their feet.

"That means all four of you are lying, right? Nobody's telling the truth."

No response.

"You do know that God says lying is wrong, don't you?"

Nodding of four heads, all in the "yes" direction.

"Okay then, who broke the jar?"

"I didn't do it. It was Trey," responded Maddie.

"I didn't do it," said Ryan.

"I didn't do it," answered Drew.

Trey said, "Not me!"

I finally said, "If you guys break something accidentally I want to know it. I won't be upset with you. I just want you to tell me the truth. Things can happen accidentally, lies happen on purpose. I'd like to know who broke this but I don't think I'm going to get the answer. If you guys are going to come up here, break stuff, and lie about it, maybe you should play at home."

I wasn't mad but I was extremely disappointed . . . and they didn't go home (I'm glad). I was very disappointed that four of my own grandkids would lie to me and stick to their guns about their lies. Who knows? Maybe all four were telling the truth. I'm sure there must be phantom glass-breakers who live under the chicken house or perhaps lightning hit that jar that sunny morning or a small meteorite . . . I don't know. Probably never will.

I do know this, it sure made me think of the many times I've disappointed and hurt my heavenly Father. I believe I could even sense just a tiny, tiny bit of the grief I must put on the heart of the Father every time I do one of those I-didn't-do-it things.

Yep, we're all liars. We've all got it coming.

"But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so very much, that even while we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God's special favor that you have been saved)" (Ephesians 2:4).

God's grace is sufficient.

By the way . . .

Trey didn't do it.