1. Testimonies aren't always true nor worthy of sympathy - the sort of sympathy that makes you consider changing your views.
2. You have to be very careful when people use verses to back up their claims. Because more likely than not, they may be using this verse to fit their testimony instead of molding their life to fit God's word.
Also, I hope you may find many opportunities to laugh in this. :D After reading the article check out the following verses: Proverbs 12:22, John 8:44, Exodus 23:1, and Colossians 3:9.
Originally posted here.
Growing up was very hard for me, because I was living a lie - not who I was at heart, a liar.
I had a decent family, yes. I even grew up in a great church family, and was saved at an early age.
If it wasn't for my faith in God I don't know how I could have lived through my childhood. Because even though my family and church was great they were more of legalistic judgers rather than lovers.
Lying is just who I am...even back when I was a small child.
I crave and need the attention I receive from my lies.
But people, mostly adults including my parents, would not accept this from me.
They said I was being naughty. Childish.
They said it wasn't right. That God forbade lying.
I was devastated that I could be so evil. I tried so hard to stop lying - but it was a part of my nature -
I was born to lie.
I felt so terrible during the last few years of my childhood, and even during my teens. I tried hard to conform to what my family and peers wanted. But sometimes my true self would slip out.
I would question my place in life.
Why did God create such a person as I? Why would he put a nature in me that was one He hated?
On top of doubting my own worth I began to even doubt God's existence and love.
It was after I had left home. Living on my own hasn't changed anything. Others still judged me.
I always felt so broken and alone.
Belittled and abandoned. People would spread falsehoods about my lying.
One day I could take it no more. I closed my door to the world, sat myself down and took only my Bible. "Father," I cried. "I am tired of living this life you have forced upon me. Why should I be this way if it's wrong? Show me what to do - or end my life."
Immediately I opened my bible to the ten commandments. It was because of these commandments, people told me, my life was condemned.
My eyes at once saw Exodus 20:16. "Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor."
But I did not feel ugly. I never felt ugly when reading scripture, because God does not use it to judge us, but guide us.
On top of that, for the first time I read this verse with sincerity.
Wow. I had never before seen this.
It does not say "Thou shalt not lie"....but that "Thou shalt not TELL LIES ABOUT YOUR FRIENDS TO HARM THEM."
And even though my nature is a lying nature I have never said something untrue to hurt someone. Never.
You have no idea how fulfilled this verse made me feel.
I started looking up other verses, and all seemed to be calling out to me to embrace the person God had created me to be - a Liar.
It was hard at first to show others who God wanted me to be, and even though God is with me, certain individuals still aren't.
But this being hard has proved to me even more that lying is right for me - for nothing easy can be right or satisfying.
Almost as much as I love living out who I am I love sharing my testimony. The only thing that saddens me is when people don't believe it.
But what encourages me more then that is God knows that it is true.
And so I live happy and free!
~ The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps. Proverbs 16:9
