July 4
The Weight
of a Lie
“Do not be a false witness against your neighbor.”
Exodus 20:16 (NIrV)
Tina’s heart pounded as she typed the message to her mom. Hey, I’m staying at Carla’s tonight for a sleepover. Love you! She hesitated for a moment before hitting send. It wasn’t true. She wasn’t going to Carla’s. Instead, she was spending the night at her boyfriend Jake’s house while his parents were away.
She told herself it wasn’t a big deal. It wasn’t like she was hurting anyone. Her mom would just think she was safe at Carla’s, giggling over movies and eating popcorn. No harm done.
But as the evening went on, the weight of her lie pressed down on her. When her phone buzzed with a message from her mom—Have fun, sweetheart! Let me know if you need anything!—Tina felt a pang of guilt. Her mom trusted her. And she had just broken that trust.
Jake didn’t notice her sudden quietness. He was excited to have the house to himself, but Tina found herself distracted. What if something happened? What if her mom called Carla’s house and found out the truth? What if this lie led to more?
Lying had been so easy. But now, it felt like a heavy chain around her heart.
That night, as she lay awake next to Jake, she reached for her phone and scrolled absentmindedly. A Bible verse popped up on a page she followed: “Do not be a false witness against your neighbor.” Her stomach twisted. She had been a false witness—against her own mother.
Tina closed her eyes. God, I messed up. I don’t know what to do now. I don’t want to keep lying, but I’m scared.
The next morning, she couldn’t take it anymore. As soon as she left Jake’s house, she called her mom.
“Hey, Mom… I need to tell you something.”
Her mother’s silence on the other end was worse than any yelling. But Tina knew she had done the right thing. She had broken trust, and now she had to rebuild it. It wouldn’t be easy, but she felt a strange relief—like she could breathe again.
She had learned something that night: Lies are never small. They grow, they weigh you down, and they separate you from the ones you love. Honesty might be hard, but it’s the only way to live in truth and peace.
Prayer:
Dear Lord,
Lying can seem so easy in the moment, but it leads to broken trust and guilt.
Help us to live in honesty, even when it’s hard.
Give us the courage to tell the truth and to fix the times we have been dishonest.
Thank You for always offering us grace when we come to You.
May we learn to reflect Your truth in our words and actions.
In Jesus' name, Amen.
