False Witness

False witness. There’s something extremely hurtful when someone says something about you that is the exact opposite of the truth, especially if it’s done out of jealousy or even a lack of knowledge. My sister had this happen to her this week as some people published some harsh criticism of her husband and herself. It was the complete opposite of what really happened and she had to defend herself against the false witness. Most people already knew the truth but it’s the one’s that don’t and cause the lies to get bigger that you have to set right.

The Bible speaks quite a bit about bearing  false witness against our neighbors and against one another. It starts all the way back in the Ten Commandments: “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.” - Exodus 20:16. The same idea is found in Psalms and Proverbs that God forbids us from telling lies about someone. Some of those lies come from a lack of information and some of it comes from just being downright rude.

If we feel like people are bearing false witness against us, we stand in good company.  At the trial of Jesus Christ, false witness were brought in to tell lies about the Savior. “Now the chief priests and the whole council were seeking false testimony against Jesus that they might put him to death, but they found none, though many false witnesses came forward. At last two came forward and said, "This man said, 'I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to rebuild it in three days.'" - Matthew 26:59-61.

The Apostle Stephen faced the same issue in his day as he spread the Good News of the Gospel. “And they stirred up the people and the elders and the scribes, and they came upon him and seized him and brought him before the council, and they set up false witnesses who said, "This man never ceases to speak words against this holy place and the law, for we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and will change the customs that Moses delivered to us." - Acts 6:12-14.

I hurt for my sister having to go through this but it’s something we all face at different levels throughout our lives. It’s the sin of man that God warned us about from the initiation of the Law. Do not bear false witness against your neighbor.

Have a great day and God bless.