inocchio was the Italian writer Carlo Collodi’s fictional character made by a woodcarver in a Tuscan village. He is best remembered for his tendency to tell lies, which caused his nose to grow.
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When we think about lying from a biblical perspective, it is easy to see that it is sinful.
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The ninth of the Ten Commandments forbade lying (Deuteronomy 5:20). Jesus said that Satan was a liar and the father of all lying (John 8:44). Paul mentions lying as one of the things Christians must put away (Ephesians 4:25). All liars are included in the group that will be cast into hell (Revelation 21:8).
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I wonder however, if we always understand what it means to lie. A dictionary will define a lie as “to make a statement that one knows is false” or “a false statement made with intent to deceive.” Lying not only has to do with what it said, it also has to do with why it is said. The purpose of a lie is to deceive.

I have given wrong directions, but was not lying, because there was no intent to deceive. I simply made a mistake. I have told someone I would be at a certain place at a specific time but didn’t show up. I just forgot or was prevented in some way from doing what I said I would.

What I am saying is not meant in any way to encourage lying or make ourselves feel better when we lie. Telling a lie is a serious matter. Persisting in lying can cause us to lose our souls.

This article is meant to encourage us to use the term correctly and to not condemn others for doing something that really cannot be classified as a lie. Instead of rashly saying, “That’s a lie,” or “He’s a liar,” let us remember to make sure we have and understand the facts, before we render our judgment.

There are chronic liars, but everyone who disagrees with us religiously, politically, or in any other matter is not necessarily a liar. I have always operated on the belief that everyone is as honest and sincere as I am in the views I hold. Holding a wrong view or giving inaccurate information does not warrant a hearty “That’s a lie!” That response drives wedges and does not encourage dialogue. It closes doors instead of opening them.

​While we are to put away lying, we also are to put on things like tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, and longsuffering (Colossians 3:12).

​Every person is made in the image of God (Gen. 1:27) and is someone for whom Jesus died (Heb. 2:9). No wonder James wrote about the apparent contradiction in how some use their tongue, “With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God” (Jas. 3:8).

We don’t have to look very far to find examples of people not being civil toward one another. Perhaps it is road rage with red faces and threats, dangerous maneuvers, and obscene gestures. Perhaps it is a post on Facebook containing offensive, demeaning language, and racial slurs. Perhaps it is a political debate where the “my worthy opponent” sentiment is forgotten, where no respect is shown, and where insulting verbiage is freely employed by both sides. Perhaps it is someone rejoicing at the misfortune or illness of another.

Need I go on?

The word “civility” is not found in the Bible, but the idea certainly is. Consider these passages.

“A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger” (Prov. 15:1). “Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets” (Matt. 7:12). “Do not be overcome by evil but overcome evil with good” (Rom. 12:21). “But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth” (Col. 3:8).

 am not suggesting at all that we compromise the truth, that we avoid unpleasant topics, that we become passive about matters that concern us, or that we should not voice our concerns. I am suggesting, however, that we maintain civility. It’s as simple as that.

​It’s as difficult as that.

Social media abounds with them. May I be so bold as to suggest some guidelines for all of us to follow when discussing matters where we differ?

Proceed with caution. Knee-jerk reactions are dangerous. We don’t have to accept every invitation we receive to a fight. We don’t have to give “our two cents worth” on every issue, especially when we have little information about the matter. We must choose our battles thoughtfully. We must be careful about crying, “Wolf!” all the time. It causes a loss of credibility.

Check motives. Are we really searching for truth, or are our minds already made up and we don’t want to be confused with the facts? Is it about understanding a person’s viewpoint, or is it about winning an argument whatever the price? Will we even resort to humiliating a person if it means we win?

Investigate. Everything we hear or read isn’t true. Misinformation abounds. There really is “fake new.” It takes a little effort to fact check, but it is so important to do so. Davey Crocket said, “Be always sure you are right, then go ahead.” He was right.

Deal with positions, not personalities. Ad hominem is the strategy of attacking the character or motive of someone rather than dealing with their position. This is often done when a person has no answer for the information presented. It is easier to vilify a person than it is to deal with the position he/she holds. It is about what is right and not who is right.

Be honest. Sound bites abound. They are easy to spin. It is common to justify in one person what we would condemn in another. Discussing differences demands honesty. We must not twist facts to support our position. I remember a college professor reminding us that truth is truth no matter who tells it, and the same is true of error.

Be kind. Holding different views never gives us the right to be mean spirited. We must treat people right. The Golden Rule always applies. Remember it? It is not, “Whoever yells the loudest is right.” Rather it is, “Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets” (Matthew 7:12).

I do not discourage discussions about things on which we disagree. Rather, I encourage them. They can be productive. They can result is a better understanding of people and the positions they hold. I believe the simple guidelines listed above will serve us well when we discuss our differences.

​Humorous stories can often make serious points. This illustration comes from my friend Steve Higginbotham, preacher for the Karns church of Christ and is entitled “How to Cure the Hiccups.”

​A lady walked into a pharmacy and asked the pharmacist if he had a cure for hiccups. He said, “I surely do,” and immediately and unexpectedly yelled “Boo!” at the top of his lungs. This scared the woman half to death. She looked at the pharmacist and said, “Why in the world did you do that?” ​The pharmacist said, “Because a good scare will rid a person of hiccups.” The lady said, “But I don’t have the hiccups. My husband does, and he’s out in the car.”

This humorous story speaks to the serious matter of making assumptions.

These are trying times. On top of dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic, we have seen this country torn apart with racial tension and riots triggered by the tragic death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Mr. Floyd died due to the actions of four policemen who were taking him into custody. All four have been arrested, and one of them (the one who held his knee on Mr. Floyd’s neck for nearly nine minutes) has been charged with second degree murder.

In the wake of this tragedy, I have seen and heard several irresponsible and troubling things.

It has been assumed by some that the end justifies the means, and so rioting, burning, and looting is somehow appropriate. Others have resorted to an “all cops,” “all black people,” “all white people,” all Democrats,” “all Republicans,” rhetoric. Many have ignored the fact that there is good and bad behavior exhibited by people of all races, creeds, and colors. There have been more than enough knee-jerk and ill-advised reactions and posts on social media by and about people on all sides of the situation.

Jesus warned against judgment that was based upon appearance or assumption in John 7:24: “Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.” The religious leaders of Jesus’ day had rejected Him and made false claims about Him. Their judgment was not righteous but both assumptive and false.

It is not wrong to make judgments, if we have the facts, if we do not have a personal agenda, and if we are not being hypocritical in those judgments (cf. Matt. 7:1-5).

​My plea to all of us is to make sure we have the facts before we act or speak, to not believe everything we read or hear about the matter, to always exhibit the spirit of Jesus, and above all to pray.

I’ve been hearing a lot of that in personal discussions and on social media recently. Much of it has been regarding the current coronavirus situation. Some say it is a pandemic that will destroy humanity, while others say it nothing more serious that the common cold. Surely it is neither of these. The truth is somewhere in the middle between the ditches.

This “ditch response” has also been seen regarding attending the services of the church. Some act like attending church services is the most important part of Christianity and that it is the mark of one’s faithfulness to the Lord.

As might be expected those in the ditch on the other side of the road act like church attendance is optional and of little importance.
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As a preacher’s kid, I grew up attending church every time the doors were opened. I regularly heard a misapplication of Hebrews 10:25, “not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together as is the manner of some …” Consequently, I was there, even when I was sick and should have stayed at home.

Along the way, I learned that the word “forsaking” in this text means to “leave behind” or “abandonment.” That’s what the people to whom Hebrews was written were doing. They were abandoning the faith, and a part of that was abandoning the services of the church.

Today, I still attend the services of the church faithfully, but not because of Hebrews 10:25 or because I am the preacher. I attend because God is worthy of my worship and devotion. I attend because I love the Lord. I attend because I need the encouragement that Christian fellowship affords. I attend because I want others to see that Christ and His church are important to me.

But I also understand that there are times—natural disasters and pandemics, etc.—where I might not attend the corporate worship assemblies but worship at home, using the aid of video streaming. This does not mean that I do not love the Lord nor is it in violation of any Scripture.

Keep ‘er between the ditches!

The New Testament has a great deal to say about prayer. It presents Jesus to us, who was Himself a man of prayer. It records His wonderful Prayer of Example, often called “The Lord’s Prayer” (Matthew 6:9-12). It gives us one of His parables that reminds us “that men ought always to pray and not lose heart” (Luke 18:1). It tells us to “Pray without ceasing” (Philippians 5:17). It reminds us that “the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their prayers” (1 Peter 3:12). It instructs us to pray and not to worry (Philippians 4:6).

In these difficult times, as we are faced with COVID-19, I encourage us to do exactly what the New Testament instructs us to do, and that is to pray. Please consider the list below.

✓ Pray for our national, state, and local leaders, as they try to help us navigate through this pandemic. Whatever decisions they make will not please everyone but pray that they may they have the wisdom and courage to do what is best for all.
✓ Pray for first responders and health care workers, the men and women who are on the front lines. They are exhausted, often working without all the necessary equipment and supplies, and are placing themselves at risk by doing what they do. Pray that God will bless and protect them.
✓ Pray for those who already have the virus and those who are especially vulnerable, because of underlying health issues. Pray for their comfort, health, healing, and protection.
✓ Pray for those who have already lost their jobs due to the virus and for those who may lose their jobs if things do not improve soon. Pray that they would have the necessary resources to survive this crisis. Pray that those of us who have would be willing to share with those who are in need.
✓ Pray for those who are continuing to work, such as those who drive the trucks, stock the shelves, and wait on us at check-out. They put themselves at risk by working to keep us supplied with the things we need. Thank God for them and pray that they will be kept safe.
✓ Pray for our church leaders, who have never had to lead our congregations through such a thing as this. Pray that they will be true to God’s Word, while seeking to keep their members safe. Pray that they will continue to lead and serve, though it may be in new ways. Pray that they will help us understand that our buildings may be closed temporary, but the church never is.
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Maybe you can think of others, but the point is clear—PRAY!

​In his book Sometimes You Win, Sometimes You Learn, John Maxwell related a story told by
British minister, Bible teacher, and author G. Campbell Morgan.

According to Morgan, a man’s business was lost in the great Chicago fire of 1871. The man
arrived at the ruins of his business the next morning carrying a table. He set it up in the middle of
the charred debris and put a sign above it that read, “Everything lost except wife, children, and
hope. Business will be resumed as usual tomorrow morning.”

That response is rather amazing, don’t you think? The businessman had lost everything except the things that were most precious to him—his family and hope.

After telling the story, Maxwell asked, “After such a heavy loss, where did he get his hope? From the circumstances? Certainly not. From good timing? No. From other victims of the fire? There’s no indication that he did. How many others faced the future with such positive determination? If this man saw a bright future for himself and his family, it was because he made a choice to have hope.”

True hope is more than just wishful thinking. Biblically speaking, it is desire plus expectation. With Maxwell, I believe it is a choice. But this choice is not without foundation. It is firmly rooted in the faithfulness of God and the sureness of His Word.

The Bible has much to say about hope. Romans 8:24 declares that hope saves us. Hebrews 6:19 says hope is the anchor for our soul. Romans 5:5 promises that hope will not disappoint us. 1 Corinthians 13:13 lists hope as one of the three great abiding things, surpassed only by love.
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I know these are trying times. It seems the news is bad and getting worse. We are faced with many fears. Though in a different context, Thomas Paine said, “These are the times that try men’s souls.”

While using common sense and taking reasonable precautions, we must trust in the Lord. He will never leave or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5). He has a way of making good come from bad (Romans 8:28). Our ultimate hope is always for an eternity in heaven with Him (1 Peter 1:3-4).

My appeal to all of us is to not give up, not to lose hope. Maxwell wrote, “Hope is in the DNA of men and women who learn from their loses. When things are tough, they choose hope, knowing that it will motivate them to learn and turn from victims into victors.”

“Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” (Romans 15:13).

​Several years ago, a fellow preacher was talking to one of my friends about me. He said, “I don’t
know about him. He’s one of those love preachers.” He didn’t mean that as a compliment, but I
took it as one. I thought it placed me in good company.

To that preacher, emphasizing love was the antithesis of standing for truth, upholding sound
doctrine, and opposing error. I do not believe that is so. Love, as taught and defined in Scripture,
does all those things.

Nobody was anymore a “love preacher” than Jesus. In responding to a lawyer’s question about the greatest commandment, Jesus said it was loving God with “all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind” (Matt. 22:37). When God has a man’s love, He has that man.

He quickly added a second commandment, which was inseparable from the first. “And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself’” (Matt. 22:39). His conclusion was, “On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets” (Matt. 22:40).

In speaking to His disciples, Jesus said, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:34-35). Think of it. Loving one another is our badge of discipleship.

John, the Apostle of Love, wrote: “He who does not love does not know God, for God is love” (1 John 4:8). Paul, who wrote more than half of the New Testament, added: “And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love” (1 Cor. 13:13).

This love, of which Jesus, John, Paul, and others spoke, is not some syrupy sentiment or some action based upon fickle feelings. It is a decision of the will which obeys God, puts the welfare of others above our own desires, and does the right thing for the right reason.

It knows how to speak the truth, but it always does it in love (Eph. 4:15). It knows how to stand for what is right, but it is not harsh or quarrelsome (2 Tim. 2:24). It upholds sound doctrine, but it realizes that loving God and one another is itself a matter of doctrine (2 Tim. 1:13).
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I have decided that I will keep on being a “love preacher,” as long as God gives me breath. My prayer for myself and others will continue to be, “And above all these things, put on love, which is the bond of perfection” (Col. 3:14).

She had been attending our church services for a few weeks. I greeted her one Sunday morning and tried to convey how happy I was to see her and that I hoped she found our services meaningful and uplifting and our people welcoming.

​She replied that she was very happy to have found us, that she enjoyed worshiping with us, and that she had indeed found the people loving and welcoming. I was certainly happy to hear that.

​Then she surprised me with what she said next, “I have a past, you know.” I didn’t know, and it didn’t matter. My responsibility was not to judge her past but to help her come to know Jesus.

I said, “We all do, you know.” She smiled and shook her head affirmatively.

The specifics of our past vary, and some have a more glaring and shameful past than others, but we all have a past. We are all broken. We have all made mistakes. We have all done things for which we are ashamed.

To deny that is to be dishonest with ourselves. Unless we are innocents (children or those not responsible for their actions), we have done enough to break God’s heart. We are a part of that “all” who have “sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23).

The story doesn’t end here, however. I said to the lady, “But, we all have a future, too” She smiled broadly, hugged me, and said “Oh, yes, and I’m so glad for that.”

That’s really good news, isn’t it? We all have a past, but we also have a future. What it will be is up to us.

The same Paul, who wrote Romans 3:23, also wrote Romans 6:23: “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Ah, that gift! How wonderful it is. Because of God’s grace, there is a plan of salvation that will bring forgiveness here (Acts 2:38; 1 John 1:7-9) and eternal joy and peace there (Rev. 14:13; 22:14).

​May we all be mindful of our past and learn from it, and may we all rejoice in the prospect of a wonderful future here and hereafter. That will encourage us on our journey.