A panhandler asked for change as I waited in line at a McDonalds. Before the request was out of his mouth I replied, “I don’t have any change.”

My rationale for not looking for change and answering so quickly was that I shouldn’t give to male vagrants for fear my wallet or purse could be snatched.

I had misgivings as soon as I told the lie, looked in my car ashtray for quarters I had thrown in there.

I heard the beggar shout, “I know you have change.”

As I pulled up to pay for my coffee, I yelled through my rolled down window, “You don’t know what I have and if I had change I definitely wouldn’t give it to you.” I mumbled to myself that he had the gall to be arrogant when he was begging, paid for my coffee, went to work.

The Holy Spirit convicted me as I sat at my desk. That was not the Christian response, even if the drifter was out of order. Saints are expected to be loving, giving, and honest.

Most of us call those untruths we think doesn’t affect others –  little, white lies.

But they are still lies – white, black, orange, purple, polka-dot – a lie is a sin in the sight of God.

We earthlings think there are categories of lies and sins – “little lies, big lies,” “white lies, black lies,” “little sins, big sins.”

God hates lies – white, black, little or BIG.

I pray that God will help us remember that He sees all and He does not categorize lies.

Help us to not tell little ‘white’ lies or any lies.

Help us be honest in all situations and trust the Holy Spirit to give us the right words to say in any scenario.

I ask God to remove the lying spirit from us. We don’t want to leave a legacy of ‘lying.’

 

Meditational Quote: “No legacy is so rich as honesty.”____________Shakespeare