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Narcissists will often lie in order to both get what they want while at the same time looking good in the eyes  of others.

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There is a case study in Acts 4:34-5:11 about a couple – Ananias and Sapphira – who wanted to maintain their standing in the community and get the acclaim that came from being outrageously generous, without being as generous as they pretended.  They faked it.

The book of Acts describes a very early church that was incredibly generous in meeting each other’s needs, to the point that “there was not a needy person among them (Acts 4:34).  People were even going so far as to sell their land and houses to provide for the needs of their fellow believers in Jesus.

Ananias and Sapphira wanted to look like they were as generous as everyone else – pride in maintaining an outward appearance – but they really did not want to give up the full proceeds from the sale of their property (inward greed).  So, they deceptively made it look like they were bringing the whole proceeds when in fact they were not.

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But a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property, and kept back some of the price for himself, with his wife’s full knowledge, and bringing a portion of it, he laid it at the apostles’ feet.  But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back some of the price of the land?  While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not under your control? Why is it that you have conceived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God.” 

Acts 5:1-4

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The consequences to both Ananias and Saphira were surprisingly severe – God struck them both dead on the spot.  Ananias and Sapphira brought into the church the Pharisaic tendency to feign righteousness while hiding greed.  God’s severe response sent a clear message to His emerging Church – lying for the sake of appearances, combined with selfish motives and secret deception, was not acceptable.

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