Does the Truth set you free?…The Ninth Commandment

“Hold on, I can’t talk right now. A famous music producer is on the phone with me.”

Whoa! I was impressed with my first manager many years ago—just the thought of having a manager was incredibly exciting. And when I heard him say this, I was so impressed by what he knew, the people he knew, and how much he’d already achieved. Or at least, those were his claims…

Over time, I realized that he had told everyone something different, and looking back, I saw that his whole life had been built on a lie in order to look good in every situation. I can’t tell you how many times I later heard the phrase, “No, what he said about that person isn’t true at all.”

Today we’re discussing the ninth commandment, which reads: “‘You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.'” (Exodus 20:16, NIV)

I didn’t know anyone in the music industry. I had no contacts, and humanly speaking, no knowledge of how to handle this sudden notoriety without a manager. So I thought that maybe it was okay if he was bluffing because it seemed easier than having to find a new manager or navigate everything on my own. 

But it was not okay before the Lord. There is a reason why the psalmist David says, “Create in me a clean heart, O God…Do not cast me from Your presence…”! (Psalm 51:10-11, NIV)

You see, there is a clear, vital connection between a pure heart and closeness to God. Unfortunately, my manager died very young of a heart attack. I’m not sure the cause of his death, but I do believe that his heart suffered greatly and never got rest because he didn’t live in the truth. 

It’s so important for us to take the ninth commandment seriously and to speak the truth, even if it sometimes doesn’t sound as exciting as the seemingly little “white lies.” 

Being close to God is much more valuable than the pretense of excitement a falsehood can bring.

You are a miracle!