GN Commentary: May 15, 2009 - Is Nancy Pelosi Lying?

Telling the truth should become part of our character, it should be a reflex. We should tell the truth even when it's to our disadvantage.

Related Resources

The Ninth Commandment: Truth as a Way of Life
How important is truth? To fully appreciate the Ninth Commandment, with its prohibition of lying, we must realize how important truth is to God.

Does Character Matter?
In a world in which most people take the easy way out, is it worthwhile to do things differently?

A God Concerned With Man's Heart
Throughout the Bible we see that God has always been concerned with human motivations.

Video Transcript

Another politician is in the news now, accused of, brace yourselves, not telling the truth! This time it's the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

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Are you surprised? Probably not. Year after year, we have scandal after scandal when our political leaders are accused of, and often convicted of, not telling the truth.

President Richard Nixon resigned to avoid impeachment for lying;
Former Housing Secretary: Henry Cisneros guilty of lying;
Vice Presidential Chief of Staff: Lewis Libby guilty of perjury;
Former President Bill Clinton: Impeached for lying;
And now Nancy Pelosi is facing similar allegations.

Politicians get and keep their jobs by talking. And that can obviously be a hazardous activity.

A very old proverb explains the danger of talking too much; sooner or later we're sure to get ourselves into trouble. "The more you talk, the more likely you are to sin. If you are wise, you will keep quiet" – Proverbs 10:19 TEV.

The more we talk, the more likely we are to say something that isn't true, something harmful; something we'll later regret.

But we all have to talk; communication is an inescapable part of life. Then, is there a way to avoid causing problems to ourselves by our own words?

Not entirely; we'll all make mistakes, of course. But there is a way to avoid many such problems.

Mark Twain said "When you tell the truth you don't have to remember anything." You don't have to try to remember what little lie you told before to make sure you don't trip yourself up later. As she stammered her way though an uncomfortable press conference yesterday, Nancy Pelosi looked very much like she wished she had told the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth a few years back. If she had, she might not be facing this controversy and these uncomfortable explanations now.

The Biblical King David understood the ultimate solution to this problem. In a prayer he told God "You desire truth in the inward being" (Psalm 51:6 NRSV). Telling the truth should become part of our character, it should be a reflex. We should tell the truth even when it's to our disadvantage.

Lies always damage in the end. Sometimes the truth may cause pain too, but the truth never hurts, unless it ought to.

For GN Magazine, I'm Joel Meeker.