Everybody lies…but they shouldn’t.

Steve Brown:
Everybody lies…but they shouldn’t. Let’s talk about it, on Key Life.

Matthew Porter:
That was Steve Brown, and this is Key Life. We’re dedicated to the teaching that the only people who get any better are those who know that if they don’t get any better, God will still love them anyway. Steve is an author, seminary professor, and our teacher on Key Life.

Steve Brown:
Thank you Matthew. We’re looking at the Book of Proverbs. Let me show you one, I don’t know if you ever watched that television series about Dr. House. And one of the things he said often in that series, I liked it until it went south. At the beginning, it was a great series and then like everything else. It begins to smell because it’s been around so long, but I like this series by and large, but House used to say, often, everybody lies. And there’s a sense in which that’s true. Sometimes we lie on purpose. Sometimes we lie not knowing that we’ve lied. Sometimes we lie to get what we want. And sometimes it’s just a mistake, but it’s a lie, and we have to go back and apologize. And Christians need to be careful in the things that we say, to check and vet, and to make sure that it’s truth. How do I know that? Because of Proverbs 30:7 through 8a.

Two things I request of you; deprive me not before I die: Remove falsehood and lies far from me.

I feel that sometimes too. I’m going to, it’s a prayer, that keep people away from me who won’t tell me the truth. It’s hard to do that in our culture, isn’t it? You know one of the things that I like doing, I get the same kind of e-mail that you get, you know, the e-mails that are spam, that tell you that you have won and all you have to do is call this number or that there’s an unclaimed package at FedEx and all you have to do is call up FedEx and they’ll make sure that you get your package. They have headline in the e-mails, Congratulations! Now, on the software in my computers, I, and the servers that I use for e-mail, there is an option there and the option tells me I can block that e-mail and they can never send it to me again, but I haven’t used that option. Do you know why I haven’t used that option? Because I love deleting those e-mails. There is an obtuse kind of neurotic side of me that makes me feel good when I read one of those e-mails and I think, do you think I’m stupid? And I just kind of like deleting it. And every time I delete one of those, I feel better. And you say, Steve, that’s crazy. I know, but nevertheless, it’s the way I’m wired and I kind of like doing that. And then Proverbs kind of affirms that. Proverbs 30:7 through 8a again.

Two things I request of you

and we’re going to talk about lists next week when we study Proverbs.

Two things I request of you; deprive me not before I die: Remove falsehood and lies far from me.

Now, I want you to relax. I’m going to I’m gonna read a story to you. Calvin Miller wrote that story and we were corresponding friends. I don’t know, well, I met him one time. But we wrote fairly often, and he one time wrote a blurb for one of my books, but I loved what he did. And he had a book called The Owner’s Manual of the Unfinished Soul. And he had a story in it, and I’m going to read the story to you, so just relax. There isn’t a whole lot of teaching, but it illustrates what Proverbs 30:7 through 8 says. So listen.

Every day, on his way to hear morning confessions, a certain priest stopped and stole an apple from the orchard that he passed. On the orchard wall, there was a sign that clearly said. “Keep out. No stealing.” nonetheless, the priest would steal the fruit, eat it on the way to serve his people. He always finished the apple just as he entered the confessional, throwing the apple core on his side of the curtain. A young girl named Cora also stopped every morning on her way to confession to steal an apple. Entering the confessional, she would finish the apple and throw the core on her side of the curtain. Bless me, Father, for I’ve sinned, she would say. How long has it been, my child, since your last confession? Twenty four hours. And is your sin the same today as usual? It is, Father. I’m still stealing apples on the way to confession. You are absolved. Go and try to stay away from those apples. I’ll try, Father, she said. But they are so good, and I am so weak. Every day, the ritual was repeated. Every 24 hours, the priest stole another apple, and so did Cora. Finally, the priest grew exasperated with Cora. Bless me, Father, for I have sinned a very ordinary confession. Today Cora, I refuse to forgive you, the priest says. You keep on stealing, and I’m tired of forgiving you. We both know that you’ll do it again. You’ll never change, you wretched girl. Henceforth, I do not absolve you. Please, Father, I’m very sorry. No, before the cider dries on your chin, you will have stolen once again. I counted three hundred and sixty five decaying cores on your side of the confessional. You are too wicked and apple ridden to ever receive my forgiveness. The girl wept her way from the confessional for weeks. Her guilt grew. She finally quit going to confession and to church. Autumn came, winter approached, the fields around the church turned brown, the swans left the pond, the early daylight was heavy with frost, and the apples were high in the trees. Cora was about to pick an apple when she noticed some movements in the branches across from her. Then she noticed a black cassock. Father, what are you doing here? asked Cora. I’m praying, said the priest. In an apple tree? asked the girl. Yes, my dear, to be closer to heaven. Oh, that I came here to pray, Cora said. I came here to steal apples. Wretch!, screamed the priest. At that very moment, the limb on which he was supported broke, and the priest plummeted to the ground. Cora scrambled down and ran to see if the priest was dead. Girl, I’m dying, he said. You must give me my last rites. No, Father. I am impure, filled with apple stealing. I am too wicked to grant you absolution that you need. May God have mercy on you, Father. The priest died and went to Hades and burned in flaming cider for a thousand years. But of course, Cora never knew that. A new priest came. And in a few weeks, Cora started back to church, and then she once again went to confession. Bless me, Father, for I’ve sinned. I stole an apple this morning on the way to church. You too, the priest said. Tomorrow morning, let’s both steal three, and we shall make a pie together. Who knows? But that our Father in heaven shall provide the cinnamon. Even honest thievery has recompenses. At last, the swans came back and the fields turned green. After Cora and the priest had eaten many a pie, they found they actually were beginning to help each other for support and prayed for each other and finally both were able to quit stealing apples. At least they did not steal them all that often. Still, some sins are hard to quit and confirmed apple thieves must help each other past the best orchards.

Isn’t that a great story? That story says so much. And it says so much about Proverbs, the 30th chapter: verses 7 through 8. We need to be a people of truth, and authenticity, and openness, and then we can witness to Jesus instead of our own goodness. And that’s what it’s about, being honest before the world about who we are. We are sinners, terrible sinners, badly in need of God’s grace. And that’s our witness to the world. And honesty requires that we do that. And the most important response you will get from that witness, is you too? You think about that. Amen.

Matthew Porter:
Thank you Steve. And with that we wrap up another fantastic week of teaching from the Book of Proverbs. We sure do appreciate you traveling this road with us and do join us tomorrow for Friday Q&A when Steve and Pete will answer this question. What language did God speak to Adam? If you know the answer don’t tune in, but if you don’t, well, you know what to do. Well, I’m not happy about this but my memory is starting to be a little more hit and miss than it used to be. And here’s the thing, forgetting about something doesn’t mean that thing isn’t important. It often is very important. In fact, we often forget about the power and need for grace. If you could ever use a reminder about that, there’s a booklet we’d love to send you called Radical Freedom: Surprising Faithfulness. It’s a newly reprinted excerpt from Steve’s classic book on radical grace called A Scandalous Freedom. Get your copy now by calling us at 1-800-KEY-LIFE that’s 1-800-539-5433. You can also e-mail [email protected] to ask for that booklet. To mail your request, go to keylife.org/contact to find our mailing addresses. Again, just ask for your free copy of the booklet called Radical Freedom: Surprising Faithfulness. And finally, if you value the work with Key Life, would you join us in that work through your financial support? You can charge a gift on your credit card or include a gift in your envelope. Or pick up your phone and simply text Key Life to 28950 that’s Key Life, one word, two words. It doesn’t matter. Text that to 28950. Key Life is a member of ECFA in the States and CCCC in Canada. And Key Life is a listener supported production of Key Life Network.