(We all want our children to be sweet and cute, but lying will destroy the most beautiful child. We must teach our children how bad this sin is. Use this lesson as a devotion for the week - repetition is the key to learning, so here are seven days worth of verses to use to teach them about lying.)
Day 1 - Prov 6:16-17 These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,
God hates a lying tongue. There are some things that makes God so mad that God says he hates that. Lying is one of those things. Teach your children that God hates lying and we wouldn’t want to do anything that God hates.
Day 2 - Prov 10:18 He that hideth hatred with lying lips, and he that uttereth a slander, is a fool.
We shouldn’t hide anything with lies. Many people lie to hide something, but most of the time it comes out and it is worse after that. God says if we lie to hide something, then we are a fool.
Day 3 - Prov 12:19 The lip of truth shall be established for ever: but a lying tongue is but for a moment.
We need to teach our children not to live for the moment, but to live for the long term. Teach them that lying might help you for a little while, but it will destroy your life, marriage, children and future. Teach them the difference in long term blessings and short term happiness.
Day 4 - Prov 12:22 Lying lips are abomination to the LORD: but they that deal truly are his delight.
When a person lies with their lips, God says it is an abomination to Him. An abomination is extreme hatred. God doesn’t just hate it, He extremely hates it. There is no stronger word to God than abomination. We don’t want God to feel that way about us. God says if we deal truly, or with truth, then we are God’s delight. Would you rather be an abomination to God or His delight?
Day 5 - Prov 13:5 A righteous man hateth lying: but a wicked man is loathsome, and cometh to shame.
Teach your children that not only does God hate lying, but good people will have lying. The strongest motivation in most young people’s lives is what people think of them. It shouldn’t be the case, but many times it is. This should be used to keep them from lying, by telling them that good people will hate lying.
Day 6 - Prov 17:7 Excellent speech becometh not a fool: much less do lying lips a prince.
Our children are children of the king. That makes them princes and princeses. A good way to teach them is that because they are Christians and that they are children of the king, that they are not supposed to lie. This is a good way to praise them and to build up their self-worth to God and help them to tell the truth. There are things that Solomon teaches his son by telling him that is not for kings. Prov 31:4 says, “It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine; nor for princes strong drink.” Our children should know that the children of the devil will do some of these things, but lying and drink is not for us.
Day 7 - Prov 19:5 A false witness shall not be unpunished, and he that speaketh lies shall not escape.
Prov 19:9 A false witness shall not be unpunished, and he that speaketh lies shall perish.
Solomon teaches his son that when someone is a false witness (they lie) that they will not escape. That is good to teach them that they will not get by with it. They may trick some people for a while, but God always sees it, and other people will eventually catch up with knowing if someone is a liar. The other thing interesting thing is that four verses down after Solomon tells him that a liar will be punished, he repeats it and tells them that they will perish. It is almost like Solomon could tell his son wasn’t listening and paying attention so he taught him again and made the punishment harder. There are so many principles to learn and also to learn how Solomon taught is son.
HOW TO FIX LYING
Þ Children will not be perfect, and we don’t expect them to be, but they don’t have to lie.
Þ If a child does wrong and lies about it, there is a double error, and there should be two spankings.
Þ The spanking for lying should be bigger and more. We know they will do wrong, but they don’t have to lie about it.
Þ Take time to tell them after the first spanking that if they had told the truth, they would be all done and there would be no more spankings.
Þ When questioning them, give them an extra chance to tell the truth by reminding them what happens when they lie. Back up and start again if you think they are lying.
Þ Ask God to give you wisdom, and insight to know when they are lying.
Þ Fix the lying early. The older they are the better they will learn how to lie.
Þ Praise them anytime they tell the truth. Make a big deal of that.
Þ Memorize the verses on lying, and let them know of the punishment for lying.
Þ We need to make sure we always tell the truth.
This is my daughter Janessa. She is four years old, but three in this picture. She is adorable and loves daddy!
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