For centuries, people have sought ways to determine if someone is lying. Ancient Chinese and Hindu civilizations asked “suspects” to put a grain of rice in their mouth. If the rice was dry when he spit it out, or if it stuck to his mouth, he was considered guilty. Today, the polygraph – or “lie detector” – doesn’t detect lies at all, but shows physiological changes in a person’s heart rate, blood pressure, respiration and perspiration that may suggest they’re trying to hide something. Neither method is accurate. How things appear on the outside doesn’t necessarily match what’s real on the inside.

You, Lord, who know the hearts of all. Acts 1:24

God, though, always knows the inside. In today’s verse, the disciples were replacing Judas and prayed for the Lord to reveal the best choice by looking at the hearts of those selected. They couldn’t choose by looking at outward behavior. They had to know what was really going on inside.

Does your outside and inside match? God knows, even if no one else does. Pray today for the Lord to create a clean heart in you (Psalm 51:10) so you’ll be genuine and free of deception. Intercede also for the nation’s leaders’ hearts to be aligned with God’s Word and for their actions to have total integrity.

Recommended Reading: I Samuel 16:6-13