If you are meeting virtually for this lesson, ask teens to get an index card and a pencil before the lesson. These will be used in Step 4.
No one likes to be lied to. But how do you know if someone is telling the truth? Do you think you could tell if someone was lying to you? Sometimes the most convincing, charming people can hide deception behind their words. Let’s take a look at different ways you can tell if someone is lying to you.
Share the following video with your students [7:22: stop at 3:48].
Liars use many tactics. These signs help identify when a person is lying.
- Some experts say there are two reasons people often lie: because they are embarrassed about something or because the outcome of a situation is very important to them. When might this be true in a high school situation? (Teenagers are often insecure and can lie in order to exaggerate or redefine a narrative. They can also lie in situations such as homework completion, etc. to keep them from suffering the consequences of a bad decision.)
- Why does telling a story backward often reveal a dishonest retelling? (Since liars often memorize a story, they don’t have the natural memory to assist them.)
- What other clues help us know if someone is lying? (Talking too fast, speaking in an overly formal way, averting eye contact, etc.)
- Now that these “tells” of dishonesty have been pointed out to you, do you recognize any of them in yourself when being less than truthful? Which ones? (Answers will vary; to initiate the conversation, share at least one sign you’ve seen in yourself.)
The Bible records many warnings against dishonesty—and even the occasional situation when godly people withheld the truth in order to protect or further the will of God. Today we will study some of the risks and rewards of telling the truth.