Genesis 20:11-12 (NKJV)

‘And Abraham said, “Because I thought, surely the fear of God is not in this place; and they will kill me on account of my wife. But indeed she is truly my sister. She is the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife.’

Half-truths are truths spoken with the intention and motivation to deceive. It is possible to be legally correct in what we say but spiritually wrong by the scales of heaven. God does not only judge by the words that proceed from our mouths but by the intentions of our hearts when those words were spoken. Half-truths reveal only a portion of the truth or a half-face of the truth to create a pre-determined impression or to communicate an incomplete message.

For Abraham and Sarah, yes indeed- they were siblings in a sense, and so the fact presented to Abimelech was correct, in a way. But what they had hidden away was that they were also married, and this fact they had hidden out of fear. May we have the boldness to always and only speak whole truth that can be defended anywhere, in the courts of Man and the courts of God.

‘I say a big Amen to that Lord. Grant me the boldness to only speak full truths, even when it may cost me something. But Lord, grant me also the wisdom to know when not to speak or when not to give information that was not required. Let me know how to walk the balance of boldness and wisdom. Amen.’