I Lied to the Gas Pump…Is That Bad?
Where I live in Delaware we have to pump our own gas. Doesn’t matter if it’s raining, snowing, cold, hot…whatever…when we need gas, we have to pump it ourselves at the gas station.
Gone are my days growing up in New Jersey where they have gas station attendants who pump your gas for you. It has been said that New Jersey is not the armpit of the country, but you can see it from there. I don’t know about all that…but at least New Jersey has gas station attendants!
The fact that I have to pump my own gas in Delaware has created a problem for me. Since I use a debit card for all my purchases every week I have to lie to the pump. It goes like this. I pull up to the pump. I swipe my debit card and the screen says, “Is this a debit or credit card?” There it is. Most people know you are not supposed to put your debit card pin in at a gas pump because card skimmers can take your pin.
So what am I to do? So far…every time…I have lied to the gas pump and pressed “No.” There it is. Every week I lie to the gas pump.
Now the way I reconcile this is with the 9th commandment which says,
“You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.”
Ah…there it is…yes! I don’t see anything about a gas pump in there…do you? Ah…I am safe…no problem lying to the gas pump each week.
But the incident got me thinking this week that to grow spiritually, I must do more than simply not lie. I have to go the extra mile and tell the truth.
Ephesians 4:25 explains it by saying,
“Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor for we are all members of one body.”
Why didn’t Paul simply say each of you must put off falsehood and leave it at that?
I think because putting off falsehood is not enough. To experience the grow we desire in our relationship with God requires more. It requires actually speaking truthfully to others.
When a witness is sworn in within a court of law, it goes something like this: “Do you solemnly swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth…?”
Why not simply say do you solemnly swear to tell the truth…and leave it there. I think because swearing to tell the truth as a witness is not enough. A witness must go beyond telling the truth and tell the whole truth and nothing but the whole truth.
The same principle applies to your spiritual growth and lying. To experience the growth you desire requires two things.
- Put off falsehood
- Speak truthfully to your neighbor
So who is your neighbor? Who do we have to tell the truth to?
Generally, your neighbor is everyone you come in contact with. Specifically though, Paul is talking about other followers of Jesus when he says we are all members of one body. He means we are all members of the body of Christ.
So as a Christian Community we must put off all falsehood and speak truthfully to one another. This creates environments of spiritual growth.
Imagine being a part of a Christian community where everyone spoke truthfully to one another? What would happen?
The power and presence of God would happen in a powerful way creating spiritual growth.
So is there anyone in your life you need to stop lying to? Maybe.
Now go the extra mile and ask is there anyone in your life you need to start telling the truth to? Probably.
Now go one more extra mile and give God permission to prick your spirit every time you don’t tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.
Have you ever had a conversation where afterwards you realized you didn’t lie but you didn’t exactly tell the whole truth? I have…and it is an awful feeling.
Give God permission to prick your spirit mid conversation so all of your words are a reflection of the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.
Practice this each day and you will see spiritual growth in your life.
