Cup Of Faith Daily Devotional 12 October 2022 – Deception In Speech Or Communication

TOPIC: Deception In Speech Or Communication

BIBLE TEXT: Galatians 6:7-8 – ”Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.”

One of the ways in which deception manifests itself is in relational communication. According to a Yoruba saying, it is possible for someone to hide blood inside of him and spit out white saliva. In other words, it is possible for someone to hide the truth and speak lies in order to deceive his/her victims. It is possible to harbor bitterness and speak of peace. To fall a victim is to believe what the deceiver says and this could lead to tragedy. A classical example of this can be found in Gen. 34.

Deception in communication comes in different ways. The Interpersonal Deception Theory outlined five different types. The first one is lies. This is when the deceiver collects or provides information that is totally different from the truth or reality. This information is to be presented to the victim and the victim must understand it as the truth.

Equivocation is the second type of deception. It is making an indirect, ambiguous, or contradictory statement. In this type of deception, the deceiver makes conflicting, vague and conditional statements in order to confuse the subject and deprive him from understanding what is truly happening.

Another common form of deception in communication is Concealment. This is the act of omitting information that is important or relevant to the given context, or engaging in behavior that helps hide relevant information. This happens when the deceiver intentionally or by conduct hides or omits information that is relevant to the subject for a particular context. He will not lie to the client directly, but will ensure that the important information needed is never a subject of discussion.

Exaggeration is another type of deception in communication. It is the habit of making overstatements or stretching the truth. This happens when the agent overestimates a fact or stretches the facts to some degree in order to manipulate the story to his own advantage .The deceiver may not lie to his victim directly, but will make the situation a bigger deal so that the victim could bend to his will.

Similar to exaggeration is understatement. This is the habit of minimizing or downplaying aspects of the truth. In this type, the deceiver presents a significant issue as insignificant or less significant even when he knows that the consequence can be disastrous.

Beloved of God, lies, equivocation, concealment, exaggeration and understatement are all forms of deception. Believers are warned against such. Therefore, just as you would not want to be deceived, don’t get involved in any of these deceptive habits knowing very well that whatever you sow is what you are going to reap.

PROPHETIC PRAYER

I pray for you today:

1. May your crooked ways be made straight in the name of Jesus.
2. No longer shall you tread a wrong path.
3. Deception and falsehood shall no longer partner with you.
4. You are straightened to occupy your desired place in life.
5. No more abnormality for you henceforth.

So shall it be in Jesus name. Amen.

Have a wonderful day.

CHRIST IS THE ANSWER.

Yours in Christ,
Revd Dr. Bayo Sola Aremu
Church pastor
Yaba Baptist Church
Sabo-Yaba, Lagos

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