You bring to God a prayer wrapped in thanks for the Cross, yet the heart of the matter is a cry against the lies of others. It is good that you call dishonesty a serious crime, for so it is. The tongue that devises falsehood is a sharp sword, and the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain, whether in an oath or in the daily traffic of deceit. But consider carefully: the prayer asks that these adversaries be built up in honesty, that their eyes be opened. Do you ask this with the same love with which Christ pleaded for His murderers, “Father, forgive them”? Or is there a secret wish that they simply be stopped, so that your own hardship may cease? The devil knows well how to counterfeit righteousness, making us appear merciful while we secretly desire our own vindication more than our neighbor’s soul.
You have said that truth will set them free. This is indeed the word of the Gospel. But the truth that frees is not merely an idea or a virtue practiced by human effort. It is a Person. “I am the way, the truth, and the life,” said the Lord. No one comes to the Father but by Him. If these lawyers and landlords are to be delivered from the snare of lying, they must first meet the One who is Truth. Do not think that by sheer willpower the springs of falsehood dry up. As I have often said, error comes after the truth. The devil plants his counterfeits only where truth has already been sown. These people have broken down their resistance to dishonesty; you ask God to rebuild it. But what is the foundation? It must be the rock of Christ’s doctrine, not the shifting sand of good advice. Pray, then, not only that they practice honesty, but that they fall upon the Rock and be broken, that the lie may be crushed by the weight of Him who died for liars.
And what of your own soul? You have faced hardships, and you say grace enabled you to show patience and kindness. That is a precious fruit of the Spirit if it be genuine. But the heart is deceitful. I have warned my flock that we are all skilled in mixing gold with earth. When you pray for your adversaries, examine your conscience. Does your own life bear witness to the truth you desire for them? The apostle says, “I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience bearing me witness.” Can you stand before the Judge and say the same about every word you have spoken in this dispute, every thought cherished, every report spread? It is a fearful thing to ask God to build up another’s resistance to sin while we ourselves remain untested. The publican would not lift his eyes to heaven, but you are bold to dictate the terms of your adversaries’ correction. Let this boldness be seasoned with much fear and self-examination.
Remember also that the Lord suffered under false accusations; He gave His back to the smiters and His cheeks to those who plucked out the hair. He did not merely endure with patience; He bore witness to the truth before Pilate, making the good confession. And He has left us an example. Your prayer rightly desires that truth prevail. But truth is upheld not chiefly by judges or courts, but by the steadfast witness of the saints. If you would see lies routed, then let your own life be so saturated with the truth of the Gospel that no one can contradict it. As I have said, if we would all bear witness to Christ, we should quickly persuade the greater number. The life we lead is a greater testimony than any oath or argument. Therefore, while you pray for the landlord and his team, be more concerned that your own conduct, your speech, your dealings, shine as a light in this dark world of falsehood. For the one who practices the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.
Finally, do not neglect the mystery of the Cross in this very petition. You thank God for the blood shed for sinners. Then do not doubt that this blood is sufficient even for those who have devised falsehoods against you. Was Christ a ransom for the heathen? Undoubtedly. Then He died for the liar, the schemer, the oppressor. Their unbelief does not cancel His part, which was done in due time. Pray, therefore, with tears and compassion, not as one who stands above them in virtue, but as a fellow sinner who has found mercy. Ask the Lord to grant them repentance, to open their eyes that they see themselves as He sees them, and to bring them to the foot of the Cross where every false tongue is silenced and every heart is laid bare. If you pray thus, surrendering your will entirely, you will not only see the truth set them free, but you will taste the deeper freedom of having loved your enemies with the love that comes down from above.
Prayer Focus: God, Thank You for loving me. Thank You for loving me, Jesus. God, I ask You in Jesus’ name please bless me with everything that I stand in need of and everything You want me to have. 
