Here are a few tips for imparting principles regarding truth to your young person:
First, ask yourself, “How much do I lie?” Our society is so bombarded with lies that you may be telling an untruth and not even realize it. You may be exaggerating the truth, stretching the truth, or telling a “white lie.” Have you ever had your spouse answer the phone for you and you say, “If it is so-and-so, tell them I’m not here”? Boom! You’ve just lied!
You are telling your kids, “Do what I say, don’t do what I do.” You have just sent a message to them loud and clear that it is okay to lie when it is convenient or when there is something we don’t want someone else to know. Assess your own truthfulness to see what kind of example you are setting.
Jesus said Satan is the “father of lies.” (See John 8:44.) Teach your young person that lying is a character flaw. It is the very essence of the devil. He lies to us to trick us and pull us away from God. He manipulates, he deceives, and he tricks—not always with a blatant lie but with shadows and shades of the truth. The best lie in the world is the one that stays as close to the truth as possible with only a little bit of error. But that small bit of error constitutes a lie.
Lying is the very nature of Satan himself. He lies to people about God. He tells them that God is no good—that God wants to hurt them and mess up their lives. He plants lies in the hearts and minds of spouses, making them think the other one is cheating on them.
He plants lies in the hearts of kids to make them think their parents don’t care about them or love them. He is a liar. He is the chief of liars, and the king of liars. He’s the best liar there ever was.
When we participate in lies it does something to our character. We become more and more like the devil. That is the harsh reality, but it is the truth.
Teach your teen about the nature of truth. James 5:12 says, Let your “Yes” be yes, and your “No,” no. Let your word count for something. When you say, “Yes, I’m going to do something,” you shouldn’t have to swear by this or that. Saying you will do something should be enough for someone to trust your word. Teach your young person the value of truth and of truthfulness.
Teach them about integrity. Proverbs 11:3 says, The integrity of the upright guides them. That means, if you are full of integrity and truthfulness, you are not always trying to keep up with which lie you told to whom or wondering if you are going to be caught.
If you walk with integrity, you walk securely. You are safe. Nothing is going to be found out about you because everything is already known. You don’t have to walk on eggshells and try to recreate the same lies you had before. You can walk securely and confidently.
Excerpt permission granted by Albury Publishing
Ron Luce was the co-founder and president of Teen Mania Ministries from 1986-2015. Ron and his wife Katie dreamed to raise young people who would change the world.
Ron received his bachelor's degree in Psychology and Theology from Oral Roberts University and his master's in Counseling Psychology from the University of Tulsa, along with an honorary doctorate from Jerry Falwell of Liberty University. He is a sought-after speaker who has traveled to more than 60 countries and has made numerous media appearances, such as Dr. James Dobson's Focus on the Family radio broadcast, CNN, The O'Reilly Factor, ABC Nightline, The 700 Club, Trinity Broadcasting Network, and the Sean Hannity Show. Ron has also written 35 books for teens, youth pastors, and parents and continues to speak at leaders' conferences helping parents and pastors understand the plight of today's youth and showing them how all of us can be part of the solution.
Ron and Katie currently live in Garden Valley, Texas, with their son Cameron. They have two daughters, Hannah and Charity.