“A righteous man hates lying, but a wicked man is loathsome and comes to shame. Righteousness guards him whose way is blameless, but wickedness overthrows the sinner” (Proverbs 13:5-6).
To be righteous you must abhor evil and cling to good (Rom. 12:9). You cannot be ambivalent about truth (Prov. 23:23) or falsehood (Prov. 13:5).
Some things in life are black-and-white, right-or-wrong matters. Truth and falsehood are in this category. Therefore, a righteous man hates/detests/abominates lying. He speaks truth and conducts himself with integrity. His life of righteousness, then, guards and protects him like a breastplate in a soldier’s armor (Is. 59:17; Eph. 6:14). What a powerful sentry the righteous have!
The wicked have no such security and protection. Their pursuit of unrighteousness makes them vulnerable in every possible way. They are not respected by their peers. Their conduct results in shame and complete destruction when the righteous God of heaven acts justly in their lives.
You must choose whether you walk in the narrow way, which leads to life, or in the broad way, which leads to death (Mat. 7:13-14).
Do you want to be blameless or shameful?
