10 January | Youth
«You shall not circulate a false report.» Exodus 23:1
At the end of a semester in Med School, two friends did very well in their tests and assignments, getting an overall grade average between 9 and 10. There was only one final assessment left, but they were so confident in their grades that they decided to spend a weekend partying with friends.
The party was great, and their hangover was even greater. They both slept late and arrived late at university on Monday, the day of their final exam. Instead of trying to take the exam, the pair went to the teacher with a made-up story. They said that their car had a flat tire and, to make matters worse, they did not have a spare tire. According to them, the repair took a long time, and that is why they were late for the test.
The teacher considered their story and agreed that he would give them a second chance to take the test the following day. They both studied hard that night and went to the exam at the scheduled time. The teacher placed them both in separate rooms and handed out the test.
When they started, they realized that the first question was an easy question and worth five points. Excited, they answered it and turned the page. On the second page there was only one question: “Which of the four tires was flat?” The answer was worth ninety-five points. As expected, both gave different answers. On that day, the students learned that lying is not worth it.
Lying means coming up with a truth that does not exist. Like children who build their sandcastles by the sea, liars create a reality that is not based on any other fact than their own creativity.
Eventually, the waves of absolute truth will break down the sandy walls of falsehood. This is why “lies have short legs”: they do not usually go far.
Consider this quote: “The time will come when all must stand before angels and before men, revealed in their true light. As the artist reproduces upon the polished plate the features of the human countenance, so their characters are being transferred to the books of heaven. […] In the judgment every man will stand revealed just as he is” (Ellen G. White, The Truth About Angels, p. 292).
Based on this, here is a tip: whatever the circumstances, just tell the truth. Your reward will come from Heaven.