You think other people are like you. We think we all play life by the same rules and do things the same way, but it’s not like that. I’ve burned my fingers that way. 

When I still worked in business, people occasionally visited with the proverbial Bible under their arm speaking the language of a believer. Saying all the right things and describing their involvement in the church. 

I should have been suspicious from the start, but I bent the rules to help my fellow brother in Christ get back on his feet. Other people had deceived him, and he was I should’ve suspected something from the start, but I bent the rules to help my fellow brother in Christ get back on his feet. Other people had deceived him, and he was struggling financially and looking for help. Promising refunds and so on. 

Long story short, he didn’t pay at the end of the month but had the next promise ready. He would pay by the middle of the month, he promised me. He promised to repay me once he received payment from another person, and this cycle continued.  

Well, he had a story every month. It was hard for me to be caught and deceived like that. But even worse was realising that everyone is not like me, because my yes is my yes.  

The worst part is that such people deceive many others. How do they sleep at night? Apparently, they sleep very well, because they actually think they’re not doing anything wrong. You see, they play by different life rules. 

Our rules are different. When we accepted Jesus, the Holy Spirit took up residence within us, exercising control over our conscience. 

When we get too close to the boundaries of life, red lights go off to warn us. When we decide to cross those boundaries, a little voice tries to stop us. 

It’s the Holy Spirit who tries to stop us via our conscience. It’s a moral compass that helps us discern right from wrong. John says: 21I haven’t been writing this to tell you something you don’t know, but to confirm the truth you do know, and to remind you that the truth doesn’t breed lies. 

When the Holy Spirit moved in and took over our conscience, we received a new set of rules. I suspect occasionally we still want our old way of life. 

But we shouldn’t be like the guy who walked in with the Bible under his arm and deception on his mind. He would never have deceived me to part with a product again. 

May people who work with us only hear the truth from our mouths. A lie, no matter how big or small, cannot coexist with the Holy Spirit, who is the embodiment of truth. May your yes be the true yes. 

Scripture
1 John 2:18-23 

Reflection
Do you sometimes lie and deceive?
Do you know when it’s not the truth?
What must you do to speak and live the truth in all things? 

Prayer
Father, I want to live the truth in all situations. Please help me, through Your Spirit, to eliminate anything that contradicts Your truth. Amen.