A FRIEND of mine was telling me not long ago about a girl who did not speak the truth and who was not honest. She went to different houses to work for people and did not hesitate to steal things whenever she had an opportunity. Often, too, she told things that were not true. She was what some of you would call a story teller, like the poor little boy in the picture. God calls such people liars, for what is not true is a lie.
Soon the women for whom this girl worked, found out how bad she was. They could not depend on her word or trust her. Finally they stopped getting her to help them.
It is a very unhappy thing for one to lose the confidence of his friends and neighbors and to feel that he cannot be trusted.
In our picture, while the other children are reciting their lessons to Grandma, one boy is being punished for telling a lie and he has a very unhappy face.
How much better it is to speak the truth always and to be honest and faithful wherever we are—both when alone and when with others. Then our friends and those for whom we work will trust us at all times and in all places. It is the faithful, honest boys and girls whose masters promote them to higher and more responsible positions.
But while it is good to have man’s approval of our conduct, it is still better to have God’s approval, Do you know what God thinks about lying?
How glad we ought to be to have the Lord delight in us and He will, if we speak the truth and do not deceive.
Ask God to help You at all times to speak only the truth. Without His help we are sure to fail and do many things that displease Him. He is willing to help and can preserve us from evil as well as from danger.
ML 08/02/1903