You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. Exodus 20:16;NKJV

Admiral Borda was one of the Navy’s finest sailors who went through the enlisted side and then succeeded all of the way up through the officer ranks to Admiral. He was considered a stallion, a man of core values, until one day Colonel Hackworth dropped an unforeseen bomb. Hackworth reported in Newsweek that Admiral Borda wore combat valor awards that he did not deserve. After bearing false witness, tragedy struck when Borda chose suicide over telling the American people the truth about his misconduct.

Bearing false witness begins with Satan who is the prince of this world, so it should not be surprising to see how his enterprise is run. He is “the father of lies” (John 8:44) and we are the children of lies since we all are born into sin, all are born liars (see Psalm 58:3; 62:4). John explains, “The man who says, ‘I know [God],’ but does not do what He commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him” (1 John 2:4).

Satan has constructed an entire society where the “truth” is fudged through exaggerations, cheating, broken promises, betrayed confidences, and sarcasms meant to deceive. In the end, like Admiral Borda, the truth will come out. Why not be honest, upfront and spare the consequences that follow? God knows when you lie anyway. Speak truthfully.

“A liar will not be believed, even when he speaks the truth.” – Aesop