The true cost of deception

I once had trouble with my internet service and had to call technical support three times before it was completely resolved. I had to laugh on the inside as the three different tech support personnel I spoke with were named Tom, Michelle and John. The problem was that all three had such thick Indian accents that I know those weren’t their real names; the company apparently thinks it is a better business practice to try to deceive their customers. 

Genuine trust is difficult. Because of sin we find it hard to trust most other people we encounter, and because of sin it is hard to live in a manner in which others can fully trust us. Deception usually rules the day, primarily because the current ruler of this world, Satan, is the father of lies, according to the Bible.

Solomon’s advice encourages us to be truthful in all we do, even if it may seem difficult — “Better is open rebuke than love that is concealed.”

One of the many reasons that marriages break up is deception. One spouse has problems with their marriage, but instead of confronting the problem in an effort to correct what needs correcting, they bury it. Once it is buried, a series of lies will be necessary to keep it buried. By the time the truth comes to light, this person can be so far gone that counseling is of little use. And it all started with one act of deception.

The same can be said of corporate and political corruption, business relationships, church politics, etc. The minute any kind of relationship loses the ability to trust, problems will ensue. 

Deception is an offshoot of selfishness and pride, and selfishness and pride are the opposite of love. When we engage in any form of deception, it is because we believe that we will be better off in some way. We either don’t want to reveal our weaknesses or we see some advantage to our life. So we must not deceive others because of what it will do to our own lives. But we also must not deceive others because of what it can do to them. 

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