“Oh what tangled webs we weave, when first we practice to deceive,” wrote Walter Scott. Not many people truly believe that they are practicing deception. Many believe that a “white lie” is acceptable. Our first preference may be to think we are forced to act in a certain way or that we may be planning things that are good for ourselves, our company, our church or any relationship we have. More often we are covering up our own faults and problems. Deception, lies and partial truths come back to haunt us because they do become entangled in the lives and actions of others, as well as become an entanglement to our own thoughts. Truth does not always have to be spoken—a person can choose to remain silent, as Jesus often did (Matthew 27:12-14).

Once a person has been recognized as a deceiver, his or her reputation for honesty and truthfulness is shattered. Deception does indeed entangle us in webs of lies that are needed to try and hide the fact that we have intentionally deceived others. Words like “fraud” and “selfishness” apply to that behavior. Honesty and uprightness are highly valued by those about us. Webs are spun one fiber at a time, with each fiber strengthening the other until the web is complete. The intention is to capture the prey. It is funny how many people do not like spiders even though the web can be beautiful.