When my children were young, they had to recite that verse whenever they got caught in a falsehood. They particularly like saying the "bomb" part of abomination.
But that was a good image for them to associate with the sin of bearing false witness. It is amazing to me what strong repercussions result from a few careless words.
It is also proof of our being born with a sin nature that no toddler has to be giving lessons on lying. Oh, I admit that as they grow, children perfect the art of lying by watching what works for other kids, or a parents example, or something gleaned from TV or videos. But that first lie happens without calculation. "Did you take a bite out of the cake on the table?" This with the icing and chocolate crumbs as evidence around the mouth, down the shirt, and on the little chubby fingers. "No, Mommy." How cute they are in this mixture of guilt and innocence. So naive that they really think Mommy doesn't know. So culpable in avoiding the consequences of their crime. *Sigh*
Several places in the Bible we are warned against letting the tongue take the helm.
The image of our words packed tightly into a ticking bomb is a good thing to help us remember to choose our words carefully. A "deceit" bomb dropped from our lips will destroy trust, destroy relationships, and even destroy a life, and in some horrific situations, a country.
It is oh, so, true.
Lying lips are an A-bomb-nation of the lips.
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