Lord, who may abide in Your tabernacle? Who may dwell in Your holy hill?
He who walks uprightly, and works righteousness, and speaks the truth in his heart;
Give judgment in your gates for truth, justice, and peace.
Ephesians 4:25
Therefore, putting away lying, “Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor,”
for we are members of one another.
Therefore, putting away lying, “Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor,”
for we are members of one another.
Exodus 20:16
You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
Telling the truth, then, is common sense. Does it also have health value?
In a study reported on WebMD Anita Kelly, PhD, a professor of psychology at the University of Notre Dame, participants were told to keep track of their lies for ten weeks, and took polygraph tests. One group was also asked to focus their energy on not lying at all. At the end of the study, both groups reported improved health while not lying, but the group that specifically focused on telling the truth had fewer health complaints--including fewer headaches, fewer sore throats, and fewer feelings of depression. In an an article from US News covering the same study, researchers who have studied the affects of lying versus telling the truth attributed the improvement to lowered stress since the participants were not checking themselves constantly, trying to remember what lie they had told to which person.
We are made to live in a state of mental peace, not to make a precarious existence trying to avoid having our lies discovered. God's command to be truthful is His blessing to give us a calm and happy life.
Articles used in building this post:
http://www.webmd.com/mental-health/news/20120806/fewer-lies-better-health?page=2
http://health.usnews.com/health-news/articles/2012/08/20/how-lying-affects-your-health
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
