Matthew 5:37 But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No. ‘ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one.
Over-exaggerating is a sin. To make something sound a lot bigger, larger, worse or better is wrong. Similarly, partial truth or compressing information is incorrect. Talking only about what benefits us in an issue is sharing half-truth. Half-truth is still a blatant lie. Massaging or manipulating information to suit our convenience is deceitful.
“Partial truths or half-truths are often more insidious than total falsehoods” – Samuel P. Huntington.
The gift of speech and verbal communication is unique to humans. A dog barks when it is happy and barks when it is angry. It can make emotional expressions but cannot respond to us with words. Only humans have the ability to combine two or more signals which is crucial to the expressive power of human language. Humans have the ability to create, combine and use the signals in a flexible way. The ability to combine two or more signals is called a “combinatorial communication system” which is unique to human beings. Hence, “speech”, the art of making sounds and “language”, the system of using words to communicate is a unique gift to humans and must be used appropriately and fittingly. The right word spoken at the right time is as beautiful as gold apples in a silver bowl (Proverbs 25:11).
Over-exaggeration is dangerous and would damage our destiny. Esau and Jacob were ‘unlike-twin brothers’ in looks, habits and hobbies. Esau was a hunter and Jacob was a baker. He came back from a long day and was hungry. Jacob was cooking some red lentil soup. The famished twin elder brother, Esau, traded his birthright for a bowl of soup! “Look, I am about to die,” Esau said. “What good is the birthright to me?” But Jacob said, “Swear to me first.” So he swore an oath to him, selling his birthright to Jacob (Genesis 25:32-33). Esau was not starving to death; he was just hungry. Over exaggerated expressions and irresponsible words destroyed his future.
Bridle your tongue from over-exaggeration:
1. Swear: Do not swear. But I say to you, do not swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is God’s throne; nor by the earth, for it is His footstool (Matthew 5:34). When we are physically and emotionally drained we must be careful about what we say. When enraged, bridle your tongue. Don’t cuss, call names or curse.
2. Speak: The tongue is free to twist and turn as it is not restricted by the skeleton. Hence it requires a bridle to keep it in control. Demons sting us with arrows of negativity. Bridle the tongue from speaking pessimistic, self-condemning or complaining thoughts. Self-proclaimed curses are destructive.
3. Speech-Fast: ‘Speech-Fast’ is good fasting to bridle your tongue. Go without speaking for a good period of time and tighten the leash on the tongue.
Over-exaggeration, overstating or over-emphasizing something to manipulate or massage the truth, is a sin.
Leviticus 19:11b You shall not lie to one another.
Prayer: Holy God, help my tongue to be truthful and trustworthy. I bridle my tongue from over exaggerating or understating facts. Holy Spirit, help my Yes to be Yes and my No to be No. Ame
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