Silent Lies

Have you ever told a silent lie?

“Now hold on just a minute! How can you lie silently? Is that possible?”

Silent lies are told every time you shut up when you should speak up. When you disagree with what was done and keep quiet to avoid hurting someone’s feelings or ‘rocking the boat.’

Where’s the lie? The lie is the impression you gave that you’re in favor of what was done or that you agreed with what was said. But you weren’t and didn’t.

Maybe you raised an eyebrow. Something just didn’t sound right. But you said nothing.

Since you didn’t speak up, the perpetrator (and others) thought you agreed with him or her. It was the same as if you spoke and lied about it. As if you said, “I agree with you. Do it.”

Occasionally some leaders (politicians, ministers and more) may abuse their authority. And while people are hurt, the natural human tendency is to ignore it. To ‘sweep it under the rug.’

Sometimes churchgoers are disturbed when sports camps, games or practices are scheduled during church services. But they say nothing. Politicians misbehave and we play dumb. We hear of other countries engaging in religious or ethnic persecution and we remain silent.

Why? Sometimes it’s because we just don’t want to get involved.

When we refuse to get involved, when we just ‘go along’ we’re letting our true morals show. We want to avoid trouble more than we believe in our values. Instead of convictions our morals become conveniences. We practice them only if it’s the easiest path to follow. We’re cowards.

So the innocent suffer, the righteous are destroyed and the power of the wicked increases. And all the while we lie silently. Until it’s too late and we suffer the consequences.

Then we wonder, “What happened? Will no one come to my defense? Where is everyone?”

The fact is they’re still there. Standing behind you. Silently lying right along with you.

God asks in the Bible, “Why then do you tolerate the treacherous? Why are you silent while the wicked swallow up those more righteous than themselves?”

The biblical prophet Obadiah spoke to people who didn’t want to get involved and resist those doing wrong. Through him God said, “On the day you stood aloof [uninvolved]…you were like one of them.” By doing nothing they became part of the problem.

If we remain silent too long, we help destroy the moral pillars of our society. The Bible’s warning is clear: “If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?”

What’s the solution? What can we do? Speak up! Take action!

Is someone being mistreated? Are elected officials overstepping their bounds? Are the innocent being destroyed? Then take a stand for what’s right and speak up! Demand justice.

Through the prophet Isaiah God says, “Stop doing wrong, learn to do right! Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow.” The book of Proverbs adds, “Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.”

Silent lies also have a negative effect on relationships with friends and family. When someone misbehaves, spreads rumors or speaks unkindly, do you speak up or remain silent?

Every time we shut up when we should speak up, we cast a vote in favor of bad behavior. And all because we want an easy life, someone to like us or we don’t want to offend.

The Bible reports that Jesus Christ was “full of grace and truth.” That ought to be our goal as well. And we can be like him if we will always “speak the truth in love.” Not lie with silence.

Listen to the Bible; it’s great for your soul!