950) People lie for different reasons. Kids often do to avoid getting in trouble. Adults make this choice when they have rationalized why it is necessary, such as, I’m  just being tactful. I’m not trying to get into the judgment of which lies are ok, if they indeed are, and which are not. This is why I included the following quote in my little book. A liar better have an excellent memory.

In Acts 5, we have two people who make the choice to lie about the sale of their own land and claim that they are giving the total amount to the early church when, in reality; they kept some of the sales money. It would have been perfectly fine if they had kept some of the money. After all, the land was theirs to sell. Instead, they lie about it, bringing on their deaths.

Is this a lie that would affect many people? Did their lie bring disaster to others? Except for their deaths, I think the answer is no to both questions. If this is an accurate conclusion, why was their lie such a bad thing? Because lies reproduce themselves. Once you make the choice to lie, it often leads to more deception and this can be habit-forming, bringing you further from the Truth. And who is The Truth? Jesus–I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the father but by me. John 14:6.

With this realization, our lies move us away from the Author of Truth. That alone makes lying serious.