I listened to the pastor preached some days ago where he talked about lying which is wrong and said something that if he decides to say the truth as it is, nobody will beat him. We have been made to know that telling lies is wrong and even if we have to pay the price for it, we would be relieved and have peace to keep moving rather than carrying a guilty conscience wherever we go until we decide to say the truth out.

I also don't like it when I lie because at that moment, my conscience hits me and I wouldn't be at peace until I say how it is, then I would be okay. Some days ago, a staff asked if I had #500 with me and I quickly said no because the question came at me unexpectedly and I had to say that without thinking. Some seconds later, I remembered I had the money in my bag but I didn't know how to prove myself with evidence that I didn't know the money was in my bag. I carried the guilt for some hours until I shook it off.

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There was a time I lied to save myself from trouble. It was when I travelled to Lagos to see my sister off to the airport when she was going to Germany. A day before leaving, there was a memo from my local government inspector (LGI) that all corpers were to report at the secretariat for a program which was compulsory and that attendance would be strictly taken and used for the next monthly biometrics clearance. The day we were to be at the secretariat was when I would be returning from Lagos to where I am serving and calculating the time plus traffic and all that, I wouldn't be able to make it there.

While on the bus travelling to Lagos the next day, I put a call through my LGI and informed him that I wouldn't be available and he couldn't wait to hear my reason and the next thing he said was "You must see me on Thursday" That was the day we were to be present. I hissed and didn't mind what he said. I missed the program and I wasn't even bothered before I had prepared a lie to give to him of which he wouldn't have a choice.

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On the day of our monthly clearance, the attendance was used and those who didn't show up and whose names were not on the list were denied their clearance and they didn't record their fingerprints. I was still in line and was watching how things were going. It got to my turn and before checking for my name, the LGI looked up and asked why I didn't show up when he said I must see him. I was surprised at first because I never expected him to know I was the one who called him. We had never talked on the phone before as that was the first time and being able to recognise I was the one who called still baffles me today.

With my face frowned a little, I told him that on the day I called, I was on my way home to see my mother who was sick but eventually lost her. He felt pity for me and consoled me. That was how I was able to do my clearance and left.

Meanwhile, my mom whom I lied about has been dead for 8 years now and I just couldn't find any lie to use other than using her. When I told my friends about it, they all laughed and said I had to wake my dead mom up from the grave and make her go through a second death 😀😀

That was the first time doing such a thing but I just couldn't do something else better or find an excuse that would be convincing enough for him to believe me, and instead of using something that is still existing to lie, I had to lie against the dead. Although, it was still a lie and I wouldn't want to try such next time.

I hate it when I lie especially when the truth gets revealed eventually as it would make me look stupid. If such a thing or something similar happens again, I won't be using my mom to lie because she needs to keep resting 😁 but I would gladly say the truth because just as the pastor said, no one will beat me for it. So, it is better to speak the truth and be free than be locked up in self-guilt forever.

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_{Images are mine}